Q&A Funished by Orlando Health
How do COVID-19 Vaccines Work?
COVID-19 vaccines help our bodies develop immunity to the virus that causes the disease without us actually getting sick from it.
Ending the COVID-19 pandemic requires using all available tools. Vaccination is one of many steps that will protect you and those around you from the disease, which can cause severe illness or death. Getting a vaccine prepares your immune system to fight the virus if you are exposed. Use it in combination with wearing a mask, washing your hands and maintaining adequate physical space.
You can protect yourself before and after getting the COVID-19 vaccine by following these CDC recommendations, which include:
- Wearing a mask
- Washing your hands often
- Maintaining adequate physical space between you and others
The most commonly reported side effects for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine were pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain and fever. These typically lasted several days. More people experienced these side effects after the second dose than after the first one.
Because the COVID-19 vaccines are so new, there’s not yet enough data available to determine how long they will provide protection.
None of the COVID-19 vaccines currently in development in the United States use the live virus that causes COVID-19. The goal of vaccination is to teach our immune systems how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19. Sometimes this process can cause symptoms, such as fever. These symptoms are normal and are a sign that the body is building immunity.
It typically takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity after vaccination. That means it’s possible to get COVID-19 just before or just after vaccination and get sick. This is because the vaccine has not had enough time to provide protection.
How long someone is protected from COVID-19 after recovering from the disease is still uncertain. Known as natural immunity, this protection doesn’t seem to last very long based on early evidence. More studies are needed to help determine this.
Getting a COVID-19 vaccine prepares your immune system to fight the virus if you are exposed. It should be used in combination with wearing a mask, washing your hands and maintaining adequate physical space to help prevent the spread of the disease.
The vaccines we expect Americans to receive won’t cause you to test positive on COVID-19 viral tests, like the PCR or antigen tests used for diagnosing COVID-19. If your body develops an immune response, which is the goal of vaccination, there is a possibility you may test positive on some antibody tests. Antibody tests indicate you had a previous infection and that you may have some level of protection against the virus.
Orlando Health continues to vaccinate:
- Team members, volunteers, and providers on its medical staffs
- Front-line healthcare professionals not affiliated with Orlando Health
- Residents and staff at nursing homes and assisted living facilities
