Two vaccines are currently authorized and recommended for use against COVID-19, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and the Moderna vaccine.

There are three additional phase 3 clinical trials in progress in the U.S.: 

• Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine
• Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine
• Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine

Learn more from the CDC

In order to be declared safe and effective, all COVID-19 vaccines must pass certain tests and standards.

The National Academy of Sciences, the National Institutes for Health, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) use scientific data from extensive research to help decide if and when new drugs and vaccines can become available to the public. The vaccines have been approved by public health agencies and are safe for use in most adults.

Learn more from the CDC

Beginning February 15, individuals with many chronic conditions will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in New York State, in addition to individuals 65+ and high-risk workers like health care providers and emergency personnel. If you have a chronic condition, at this time, you do not need to contact your health care provider to obtain proof of medical eligibility or to make an appointment to receive the vaccine.

At this time, vaccination appointments will occur through pharmacies and local and state health departments. Vaccine supplies continue to remain extremely limited. Continue to check the New York State website for information on your vaccine eligibility and to find a location near you.

Remember, the COVID vaccine is safe—it can help protect you from contracting the virus, and lessen the severity of symptoms should you become infected. We expect a vaccine to be available eventually for everyone who wants one.

Because the current supply of COVID-19 vaccines in the United States is limited, the CDC recommends that initial supplies of COVID-19 vaccines be offered to workers in high-risk professions for transmission, including healthcare personnel and long-term care facility residents, followed by individuals aged 65 and older and those with chronic conditions.

Read about who should be vaccinated first when supplies are limited

No, you can not get COVID-19 from the COVID-19 vaccines. The vaccines do not contain the live virus. If you become infected after getting vaccinated, it is because you have been exposed to the virus before the body has built up enough immunity to help keep you protected. It typically takes a few weeks after vaccination for the body to build immunity.

Even after you get the COVID-19 vaccination, you should continue wearing your mask, stay physically distant from others, avoid gatherings, and practice hand hygiene.

Experts do not know what percentage of people need to get vaccinated to achieve herd immunity to COVID-19. Herd immunity is a term used to describe when enough people have protection—either from previous infection or vaccination—that it is unlikely a virus or bacteria can spread and cause disease. As a result, everyone within the community is protected even if some people don’t have any protection themselves.

The percentage of people who need to have protection to achieve herd immunity varies by disease. Usually, it's at least 70% of the population or more.

We recommend using reputable sources like your local health care organizations, as well as local and state government channels for the latest information on the COVID-19 vaccines. Here are a few helpful resources: 

• Rochester Regional Health COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs also available in Spanish
• Rochester Regional Health COVID-19 Blog Articles
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
• New York State Department of Health 
• Federal Drug Administration

The Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are the two currently available vaccines and both have shown strong efficacy rates above 94% when two doses are taken. While the vaccines are similar in the protection they offer, they differ in ingredients, side effects, and the time between doses.

Learn more about the vaccines

During the clinical trials for the vaccines, the most commonly reported side effects, which typically lasted several days, were pain and/or swelling at the injection site, tiredness, headache, fever and chills. Side effects may feel like the flu and even affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days.

More people experienced these side effects after the second dose than after the first dose.

Learn more about side effects

All phase 3 vaccines will be administered in two shots except for the Janssen vaccine which has been tested as a one-dose vaccine. However, Janssen (with partner Johnson & Johnson) is also testing a 2-dose vaccine.

In all vaccines, the first shot builds protection. A few weeks later, the second shot provides more protection.

Vaccine doses will be given to Americans at no cost. However, vaccination providers can charge a fee for administering the vaccine. This fee can be reimbursed by the patient’s public or private insurance company. Uninsured patients can get reimbursed by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Provider Relief Fund.

While you're waiting for the vaccine to become available, we recommend following CDC guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. You can do this by continuing to:

• Wear a mask to cover your mouth and nose whenever in public, especially when unable to maintain six feet physical distance from others
• Wash your hands regularly with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer for 20 seconds
• Avoid crowds and maintain physical distancing of six feet from other people whenever possible

New strains of a respiratory virus are not uncommon as a virus spreads. There are currently about 20 known strains of COVID-19. The approved COVID-19 vaccines are effective at protecting people against all strains, says Dr. Emil Lesho, an epidemiologist for Rochester Regional Health.

Learn more about the new strain of COVID-19

1. The vaccines will help keep you and others from getting COVID-19.

2. The vaccines will be a safer way than getting COVID-19 to build protection.

3. Getting our community vaccinated is important in stopping the pandemic and getting back to normal.

Learn more about why you should consider getting vaccinated

The CDC has revised its COVID-19 vaccination guidelines to suggest plans should be made by local jurisdictions to ensure equitable access to vaccinations and lists racial and ethnic groups as critical populations that may be at an increased risk of getting the virus. "For the first time, the African American and Latinx communities are at the front of the line to receive equitable treatment,” said Deborah Stamps, Executive Vice President, Chief Nursing Education and Diversity Officer. "Now is an opportunity for us to step up and participate, be engaged, and be leaders in really eradicating this virus moving forward.”

Learn more about how the vaccines impact people and communities of color

• Preguntas frecuentes
• Video de conversaciones comunitarias