Needles make me nervous. Should I be worried?
Serious side effects do happen, but how common are they? For every million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine given, approximately how many reports of a serious reaction have there been?
Select one answer
Yup! Nope! The risk of adverse reactions after vaccination is extremely low — especially compared with the likelihood of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19.
Multiple U.S. agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, monitor vaccine safety. From the start of the vaccine rollout through April 2, there were about 50 reports of serious reactions per million shots given, including allergic reactions, according to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. The reporting system, which does not determine cause and effect, detected six cases of rare blood clotting in women after they got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. This led health officials Tuesday to recommend a pause in administering the J&J vaccine while these cases undergo further review.
To combat the risk of an allergic reaction, you will be asked about any allergies you may have before getting the vaccine. As a secondary precaution, you must wait 15 minutes before going home so that medical personnel can keep an eye on you. Tell a doctor if you experience a reaction after you leave the vaccination site.
Safeguard this card
Now that you've received a shot, you've been bestowed a precious document: your vaccination card. What should you do with it?
That's right! Yes, but all the other answers apply as well. Don't lose this card! As the state reopens, larger events may require proof of vaccination to attend. If you do lose this card but you gave your primary care doctor a record of your vaccination status, you can request a copy from them. If not, the CDC recommends that you contact the place where you were vaccinated. If the vaccination site can't help, try the California Immunization Registry, which keeps immunization records for all of the state's residents. This system is slow to update and may not have your record immediately.
Avengers assemble?
That night, you're on your couch watching Netflix and you wonder ... what's next? Your arm is sore, but you feel like the vaccine has given you superpowers. Is it time to host a movie night at your place?
Right on! Not Yet! According to the CDC, you aren't immediately protected once you get the vaccine. It takes time for your immune system to churn out those sweet, sweet antibodies that protect you against the coronavirus. That's why you're not considered fully vaccinated until two weeks after your final shot.
It's been a few weeks
Will you go get your second shot?
Right on! Don't skip this step! Unless you got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you will need to go back for a second dose.
Two weeks after getting the second shot, your risk of infection is reduced by 90%, compared with 80% after the first shot, according to a recent CDC study.
Your first social outing in ages
Finally! You are fully vaccinated and the two-week waiting period is over. Your friend and their roommate have invited you over for dinner, but they haven't gotten their shots. It will be only the three of you in the house and everyone is healthy. Can you safely visit them?
You got it! No need! Even if your friends are not vaccinated, you can still hang out indoors without masks as long as you're interacting only with members of one other household and they aren't at high risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Keeping the party to one unvaccinated household limits the spread of the virus.
Your fridge is empty
It's time to hit the grocery store. Do you still need to mask up while shopping?
Correct! Wrong! The CDC recommends that vaccinated individuals still mask up when entering public indoor places, including grocery stores. This is because no vaccine is 100% effective against infection, emerging variants are a wild card, and we are still studying how effective vaccines are at stopping transmission. In other words, you could be vaccinated and still become infected, or pass on the virus to others.
Another good reason to wear the mask: California has been under a mask mandate since November.
Oh no! You were exposed to someone with COVID-19
You don't feel sick. Do you still need to quarantine and take a coronavirus test?
Correct! Wrong… As long as you don't experience any symptoms, you don't need to quarantine or get tested if you are fully vaccinated.
Quality time with the fam!
Your sister had a baby during the pandemic. She wants to have you and your child over to meet the new kiddo. Your parents, who live on their own, will be there, too. All the adults have been vaccinated. Do you meet?
Correct! Wrong… This is a tricky one. CDC guidelines allow maskless indoor visits as long as all unvaccinated individuals are from the same household. In this case, there are two unvaccinated children from different households, which means the masks stay on. Though children without underlying medical conditions are at lower risk for contracting COVID-19, they can still become ill or spread the virus to others, and they cannot be vaccinated at present. Thus, it’s safer to celebrate as a family outdoors and masked while practicing social distancing.
Your brunch spot beckons
Your friends are fully vaccinated. Is it time to bring back brunch ... indoors?
Indoor dining is risky! Indoor dining is risky... Mounting evidence suggests vaccines prevent people from transmitting the virus, but scientists haven’t ruled out the possibility. That risk is heightened indoors, where ventilation can be poor and fellow patrons aren't wearing masks. If you or someone in your group of friends has a weak immune system, consider eating outside.
Your kiddo misses their BFFs
The adults in your household are fully vaccinated, but your kid isn't. Is it time to send the little one back to day care?
Right. No, it really just depends… The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are authorized for adults 18 and older, and the Pfizer vaccine can be given to people 16 and older. Although children can't be vaccinated at present, preschool-age children are less than half as likely to get the virus and 10 times less likely to die of COVID-19 than adults under 30. Though it's possible others at day care may pass the virus on to your child, it's unlikely your child will make the vaccinated adults at home sick.
Do I?
After pushing back the wedding ceremony for almost a year, your friends will tie the knot this summer at a swanky hotel with 100 guests in attendance. Should your wedding outfit include a mask?
Right! Probably not... While the U.S. is steadily making progress in vaccinating most of the country, it's hard to gauge how many guests will be vaccinated or whether they're traveling from places with high rates of transmission. Given that the wedding is taking place indoors, it's safer to stay masked.
Get ready for takeoff!
You want to fly domestically. Which precaution do you need to take?
Right! Wrong… Masks and social distancing during travel are still needed, as are avoiding crowds and keeping at least six feet from others, for example in security lines or while waiting to board your flight. However, CDC guidelines say fully vaccinated people can travel domestically without a pre- or post-flight coronavirus test, nor is it necessary to self-quarantine for seven to 10 days upon arrival. You should still monitor for symptoms, as well as self-isolate and get tested if you do become sick.
Results
You didn't answer any of the questions...
Explore the data tracking the state’s COVID-19 vaccine supply to see how and where it has been distributed so far.