Know the Facts and Get Your COVID Vaccine
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About COVID-19
The coronavirus continues to pose a serious public health risk. Viruses constantly change, and new versions emerge.
You should know that
- The Delta variant is more contagious, causes more infections, and spreads faster than the original virus.
- The Delta variant may cause more severe illness than previous strains in unvaccinated people.
- Although vaccines provide strong protection against severe disease and death, fully vaccinated people can be infected by and transmit the Delta variant.
That is why it is critical to get your vaccine and help your loved ones get the vaccine, too. Vaccines will protect you from severe illness and death from the coronavirus and the Delta variant. After you are fully vaccinated, wear a mask indoors in public places.
Get Your Vaccine
Why get a vaccine?
Get a vaccine to protect yourself, your loved ones and your community. Vaccines are effective at preventing severe illness and death from the coronavirus and the Delta variant.
Vaccines are safe and effective. Medical experts carefully tested the vaccines among thousands of adults with diverse backgrounds.
Find a vaccine location near you
COVID-19 vaccines are free and available to anyone who wants one, regardless of their immigration or health insurance status.
There are three easy ways to find a nearby location where you can get the COVID-19 vaccine:
What to expect
- After getting vaccinated, you might have some side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building protection. Common side effects are pain, redness, and swelling in the arm where you received the shot, as well as tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea. These side effects could affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days.
- It typically takes two weeks after vaccination for the body to build protection (immunity) against the virus that causes COVID-19.
- You considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the 2nd dose of a two-dose vaccine or two weeks after a one-dose vaccine.
What can I do after I am fully vaccinated?
- After you are fully vaccinated, continue to wear a mask indoors in public places. The vaccine will protect you from severe illness and death, but you can still be infected and transmit the Delta variant to others.
- If you have a weakened immune system, you may NOT be fully protected even after being fully vaccinated. Wear a mask in public, stay 6 feet apart from others, avoid crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces.
- You should still watch out for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if you've been around someone who is sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, get tested and stay home and away from others.
Vaccine Facts
Get accurate information
Know the facts about COVID-19 vaccines. Accurate vaccine information is critical and can help stop common myths and rumours.
How do vaccines work?
COVID-19 vaccines help our bodies develop immunity to the virus that causes COVID-19 without us having to get the illness.
When we get a vaccine, it activates our immune response. This helps our bodies learn to fight off the virus without the danger of an actual infection. If we are exposed to the virus in the future, our immune system “remembers” how to fight it.
Again, it takes time for your body to build immunity after vaccination, so you won’t have full protection until 2 weeks after your final dose.
Be sure you're Earth Watch Corps Ready. That means:
- COVID vaccines will not give you COVID-19.
- COVID-19 vaccines do not contain live virus
- Getting vaccinated can help prevent getting sick with COVID-19.
- People who have gotten sick with COVID-19 may still benefit from getting vaccinated.
- COVID-19 vaccines will not cause you to test positive on COVID-19 viral tests.
- COVID-19 vaccines do not change or interact with your DNA in any way.
- 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 female or male fertility problems are a side effect of any vaccine, including COVID-19 vaccines.
What are the most common side effects?
After getting vaccinated, you might have some side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building protection. Common side effects are pain, redness and swelling in the arm where you received the shot, as well as tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever and nausea. These side effects could affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days. Learn more about what to expect after getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
Are COVID-19 vaccines safe?
COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. COVID-19 vaccines are being held to the same safety standards as other common vaccines. Several expert and independent groups evaluate the safety of vaccines being given to people in the United States. Medical experts carefully tested the vaccines among thousands of adults with diverse backgrounds.
How do I protect my child?
- Help protect your whole family by getting yourself vaccinated as soon as you can.
- Get your children vaccinated as soon as they're eligible.
- Ensure everyone in your family wears a mask when they are indoors in public places.
Download Coronavirus Safety Tips
Including resources in Spanish, French, Haitian, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Tagalog.
Protect Yourself & Others | PDF Format
Protect Yourself & Others | RTF Format
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