Three COVID-19 vaccines are available in the U.S.: Pfizer-BioNTech (Pfizer), Moderna and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen (Johnson & Johnson). These vaccines are safe and very effective, especially in preventing severe COVID-19 illness, hospitalization and death. Hundreds of millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses have safely been administered in the U.S.
These vaccines are the best protection we have against COVID-19. No matter how old or healthy you are, COVID-19 can lead to hospitalization, long-term health problems and death. Even if you had COVID-19, it is important to get vaccinated because it lowers your risk of getting COVID-19 again. Getting vaccinated also helps protect those around you. This includes people who cannot be vaccinated, such as children younger than 5.
The COVID-19 vaccines that are available in the U.S. were shown to be safe through clinical trials. These trials involved testing the vaccine on tens of thousands of volunteers. The process was monitored closely by the FDA and other organizations.
To ensure the safety of the vaccines:
- The FDA reviewed clinical trial plans to make sure they met the highest scientific and ethical standards.
- Clinical trials were closely monitored by a data safety monitoring board made up of outside experts. These experts included medical personnel, ethicists, statisticians, patient advocates and others.
- FDA scientists and medical professionals reviewed all available information to see if the vaccines should be authorized.
The COVID-19 vaccines used in the U.S. contain genetic material that tells the body’s cells to start building protection against the virus. However, the material never interacts with your DNA. This means the genetic material in the vaccines cannot affect your DNA in any way.
None of the vaccines available in the U.S. contain the virus that causes COVID-19. It is not possible to get COVID-19 from the vaccines.
Claims linking COVID-19 vaccines to fertility problems are unfounded and have no scientific evidence supporting them. The CDC says it is safe for people who want to have a child to get a COVID-19 vaccine and recommends that they get vaccinated.
Source: NYC DOHMH For details, click here https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-vaccine-facts.page
