Many U.S. adults have safely received a COVID-19 vaccine. But you might have questions. Or you might have family members, friends, coworkers, or patients that have questions about the COVID-19 vaccines.

The tools below can help answer those questions, improve what you know about the vaccines, and help guide any conversations you may have with others about getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

 

WANT TO GET A COVID-19 VACCINE OR BOOSTER? Find One Here!

 

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Latest COVID-19 Vaccine News and Research

We’ve compiled the latest updates, created relevant infographics, and shared other resources for you to access and share about the COVID-19 vaccine.

Unmask the Facts: Round-up of the Latest COVID-19 News and Research

  • June 2023: Topics include: the race to update COVID-19 vaccines for the fall, how COVID-19 vaccine concerns impacted routine childhood vaccinations, and new programs to help uninsured folks access COVID-19 vaccines when they go on the commercial market later this year.
  • May 2023: Topics include: FDA’s full approval of Paxlovid, the effectiveness of bivalent vaccines, and this summer’s new COVID-19 travel guidelines.
  • April 2023: Topics include: new COVID-19 vaccine guidelines, the end of several federal vaccine mandates, and how the close of the public health emergency next week will impact SNAP eligibility for low-income students
  • March 2023: Topics include: young kids (6 months – 4 yrs.) are now eligible for the bivalent booster, the three-year anniversary of the pandemic, Paxlovid is closer to full FDA approval, new COVID-19 vaccine research, and the end of the Public Health Emergency.
  • February 2023: Topics include: new at-home test that can detect both COVID-19 and the flu, new findings about natural immunity, and programs that will help the uninsured keep access to free COVID-19 vaccines when the federal supply runs out.
  • January 2023: Topics include: updates on the dangers that COVID-19 poses to children, updates to COVID-19 treatment options and some consequences of the White House’s announcement that the COVID-19 public health emergency will come to end on May 11.
  • November 2022: Topics include: how bivalent boosters are working in the real world, the possibility of a “tripledemic” this winter, and what to do if you or your patients are asked to pay for the COVID-19 vaccine or booster.
  • October 2022 – Topics include: the most recent guidelines and eligibility rules for COVID-19 booster shots, the dangers that COVID-19 infections pose to new and expectant mothers and upcoming efforts to make COVID-19 treatments like Paxlovid easier to get
  • September 12-26, 2022 – Topics include: updated CDC guidelines for healthcare workers, a new program to help uninsured and uninsured patients access COVID-19 treatments, and where we’re at with the bivalent booster rollout.
  • September 1-11, 2022 – Topics include: the growing impact of COVID-19 on children, research highlighting the safety of vaccines for young children, recommendations for updated booster shots and a shift in annual COVID-19 shots
  • August 15-31, 2022 – Topics include: how to get your free at-home COVID-19 test kits before they’re gone, breaking news about fall booster shots, Novavax for teens, the perks of Paxlovid for older adults, and the safety of mRNA vaccines for people with heart problems
  • August 1-14, 2022 – Topics include: two new federal reports on long COVID, the CDC’s updated guidance for what to do after being exposed to COVID-19, and the FDA’s revised suggestions for at-home testing
  • July 20-31, 2022 – Topics include: slow uptake of COVID-19 vaccines for young children, factors that contribute to long COVID in children, and the timeline for Omicron-specific boosters
  • July 4-19, 2022 – Topics include: the rise of the BA.5 variant, Novavax’s recently recommended COVID-19 vaccine, and how to get Paxlovid from your local pharmacist
  • June 20 – July 1, 2022 – Topics include: the prevalence of long COVID, the FDA’s attempt to better protect against Omicron, and where you can get COVID-19 vaccines for young kids
  • June 6-17, 2022 – Topics include: the CDC’s new recommendations for vaccines for under 5 years old, the new Moderna booster formula, and the drops in testing requirements for international travelers.
  • May 23 – June 7, 2022 – Topics include: recent decisions about Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine, reports of resurgent COVID-19 symptoms after taking Paxlovid, and new information about Pfizer’s vaccine for children under 5 years old.
  • May 9-22, 2022 – Topics include: the CDC’s new booster shot recommendations, rising numbers of COVID-19 cases across the U.S., and how you can get another round of free at-home tests delivered to your door.
  • April 25 – May 8, 2022 – Topics include: a devastating milestone for COVID-19 deaths in the U.S., the FDA’s decision to further limit who can get the J&J vaccine, and Moderna’s application to get a COVID-19 vaccine authorized for kids under 6 years old.
  • April 11-24, 2022 – Topics include: the slow uptake of COVID-19 booster shots, a less invasive way to test for COVID-19, and the easing mask restrictions across the U.S.
  • March 28 – April 10, 2022 – Topics include: the spread of the BA.2 variant, rising cases of COVID-19 in the U.S., and recent legal dilemmas about COVID-19 relief funding and vaccine mandates.
  • March 14-29, 2022 – Topics include: who can get a second booster shot, Moderna’s attempt to get a COVID-19 vaccine authorized for kids under 6 years old, and possible signs of a new COVID-19 surge in the U.S.
  • February 28 – March 13, 2022 – Topics include: COVID-19’s impact on the brain, easing mask restrictions across the U.S. and its territories, and how you can order your second round of free COVID-19 at-home tests.
  • February 14-27, 2022 – Topics include: concerns about long COVID, a new study about getting COVID-19 vaccine during the pregnancy, and the updates of the mask guidance
  • January 31 – February 13, 2022  – Topics include: changes to the vaccine timeline for immunocompromised people, data about the “stealth” variant, and current state of getting COVID-19 vaccines approved for children under 5 years old
  • January 17-31, 2022 – Topics include: extreme number of COVID-19 deaths currently happening in the United States, real-world evidence of booster effectiveness, and new information about who is choosing to get a booster shot and who isn’t
  • January 3-16, 2022 – Topics include: CDC’s revised masking recommendations, the Supreme Court’s decision about testing and vaccine mandates, and the federal government’s new initiatives to provide free COVID-19 at-home tests to all U.S. residents.
  • December 13, 2021-January 2, 2022 – Topics include: revised isolation and quarantine guidelines for healthcare workers and the general public, our climb to the highest number of COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began, and two new authorized pills for the treatment of COVID-19.
  • November 29-December 12, 2021 – Topics include: updated booster shot eligibility guidelines for 16- and 17-year-olds, the rising number of Omicron cases in the nation, and the introduction of new travel guidelines for those flying into the United States.
  • November 15-28 – Topics include: updated booster shot eligibility guidelines, a recent uptick in new COVID-19 cases in some parts of the country, and the recent arrival of the omicron variant to the United States.
  • November 1-14
  • October 18-31
  • October 4-17
  • September 20-October 3
  • September 13-19
  • September 6-12
  • August 30 – September 5
  • August 16-22
  • August 9-15
  • August 2-8
  • ​July 26 – August 1
  • July 19-25
  • July 13-18

COVID-19 Question and Answer Session Videos

This ongoing series comes from a partnership between Americares and ECHO-Chicago at University of Chicago. This monthly collaboration puts Free and Charitable Clinic providers and volunteers in direct contact with a panel of experts who break down recent developments surrounding COVID-19 and provide strategies for clinical conversations and care.  

Click the links below to watch past sessions:

 

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Infographics

COVID-19 and Vaccine Side Effects Poster

COVID-19 and Vaccine Side Effects Poster – SPANISH

COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Timeline for Most People

COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Timeline for People with Weak Immune Systems

How MRNA Vaccines Work

Infertility Trifold

Motivational Interviewing Cheat Sheet

Get Ready for Fall Ya’ll COVID-19 Vaccine Poster

Long-COVID Informational Poster

Long-COVID Informational Poster SPANISH

COVID-Informational-Poster

Free Clinic Workers Share Their COVID-19 Experience

 

COVID-19 Questions From The Field

The following is a collection of common questions that people at Free and Charitable Clinics nationwide had about COVID-19 vaccines. They had questions – we have answers!

Do the COVID-19 vaccines affect DNA?

No. COVID-19 vaccines do not change or interact with DNA in any way. All authorized vaccines in the U.S. deliver instructions (genetic material) to cells to start building protection against the virus that causes COVID-19. However, this material never touches or even talks to DNA. These instructions tell your cells how to make proteins that look like the virus—almost like sending out a ‘model’ for your immune system to follow.

Can a COVID-19 vaccine make me sick with COVID-19?

No. None of the authorized COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. contain a live virus that causes COVID-19, so they cannot make you sick with the disease. These vaccines teach your cells how to make proteins that look like the virus. You might experience some symptoms (like a fever) as your immune system responds to these new proteins, but it is just training to fight a real virus if it’s ever exposed to it!

Do I need the vaccine if I’ve already had COVID-19?

Yes. You should get a COVID-19 vaccine even if you’ve previously had COVID-19. Some studies show that vaccination strongly boosts protection in people who’ve contracted COVID-19 in the past. If you currently have COVID-19, you can get a vaccine as soon as your quarantine ends. However, if you were treated for COVID-19 with antibodies or ‘convalescent plasma,’ you should wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

Do I need to get vaccinated against COVID-19 if I am young and healthy?

Yes. Being young and healthy doesn’t offer immunity to COVID-19. Young people who catch the virus can still get serious long-term symptoms or die from the disease. Even if you don’t develop any symptoms from COVID-19, you can still pass it along to other people who are older or at higher risk, including friends and family members. To protect these vulnerable groups, everyone needs to get vaccinated, even those who may otherwise be young and healthy.

What does FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) mean?

In a public health emergency, manufacturing and approval of vaccines can be streamlined through an EUA. An EUA does not affect vaccine safety, because it does not change how we research and develop vaccines. Instead, it speeds up how we mass-produce them and deal with the paperwork. Companies pursuing an EUA can mass-produce their vaccines during the testing process while they await authorization, which means that they can send out their vaccines as soon as the paperwork clears review.

How were COVID-19 vaccines made so quickly?

Scientists were able to make COVID-19 vaccines so quickly because they had decades of research to build on and a lot of resources at their disposal. Due to the EUA, manufacturers could mass-produce vaccines while they awaited approval, and regulators brought the review of these vaccine applications right to the top of their to-do lists. This teamwork allowed COVID-19 vaccines to be developed, tested, and authorized in record time.

Is the vaccine safe for adolescents and children?

Yes. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and available for everyone 6 months old and older. Like adults, younger people may have some side effects after COVID-19 vaccination. These side effects may affect their ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days. Your child cannot get COVID-19 from any COVID-19 vaccine.

Can pregnant women get the COVID-19 vaccine?

Yes. If you are pregnant, you can receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Pregnant people are at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can lower that risk. There are not any known safety concerns, however, the available information is limited for pregnant people. You might want to talk to your healthcare provider to help you decide whether to get vaccinated and assess your personal level of risk based on your location and level of activity.

Can women who are breastfeeding get the COVID-19 vaccine?

Yes. Lactating people can receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccines have not been studied extensively on lactating people, but there are no known safety concerns. Recent reports even show that breastfeeding people who have received COVID-19 mRNA vaccines have antibodies in their breastmilk. These antibodies can help protect their babies in the future, but more data is needed to see just how much protection is gained.

Can I get the vaccine if I want to have children someday?

Yes. If you want to get pregnant now or in the future, you can still get a COVID-19 vaccine. There is currently no evidence that COVID-19 vaccination causes any problems with pregnancy, including the development of the placenta. In addition, there is no evidence that fertility problems are a side effect of any vaccine, including COVID-19 vaccines.

Does the vaccine have a magnetic effect?

No. COVID-19 vaccines do not contain ingredients that can produce an electromagnetic field at the site of your injection. All COVID-19 vaccines are free from metals. Receiving a COVID-19 vaccine will not make you magnetic, including in the arm where you received the shot.

Does the vaccine have a microchip?

No, the vaccine does not contain a microchip. There might be trackers on vaccine shipment boxes to protect them from theft, but there are no trackers in the vaccines themselves. State governments record where you got the vaccine and which kind you received by using a computerized database to make sure that you get your doses on time. As proof of vaccination, you will also get a card showing that you have received a COVID-19 vaccine.

Motivational Interviewing Pt 1

Motivational Interviewing Pt 2

Addressing Misinformation

Why Vaccinate

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Disclaimer: This project was funded in part by a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant number 1 NU50CK000588-01-00. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this resource center do not necessarily represent the policy of CDC or HHS and should not be considered an endorsement by the Federal Government.