How much does the vaccine cost?
Nothing. COVID-19 vaccines, including their administration, are free.
Can I get COVID-19 from the COVID-19 vaccine?
The COVID-19 vaccination can’t cause COVID-19. The goal of the vaccines is to teach our immune systems how to fight the virus that causes COVID-19. Learn more about how COVID-19 vaccines work.
Can the COVID-19 vaccine cause me to test positive on COVID-19 viral tests?
Vaccines won’t cause you to test positive on viral tests, which are used to see if you have a current infection.
If your body develops an immune response, which is the goal of vaccination, you will test positive on certain antibody tests. Antibody tests indicate that you may have some level of protection against the virus. To learn more about COVID-19 testing visit the CDC COVID-19 Testing Page.
If I've had COVID-19 before, can I still benefit from getting the COVID-19 vaccine?
People are advised to get a COVID-19 vaccine even if they have been sick with COVID-19 before. This is due to the severe health risks associated with COVID-19 and the fact that re-infection with COVID-19 is possible.
Will the COVID-19 vaccine prevent me from getting sick with COVID-19?
While many people with COVID-19 have only a mild illness, others may get a severe illness or even die. There is no way to know how COVID-19 will affect you, even if you are not at increased risk of severe complications.
What is an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA)?
An Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) is a mechanism to facilitate the availability and use of medical countermeasures, including vaccines, during public health emergencies, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. Under an EUA, the FDA may allow the use of unapproved medical products, or unapproved uses of approved medical products in an emergency to diagnose, treat, or prevent serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions when certain statutory criteria have been met, including that there are no adequate, approved, and available alternatives. Taking into consideration input from the FDA, manufacturers decide whether and when to submit an EUA request to the FDA.
Once submitted, the FDA will evaluate an EUA request and determine whether the relevant statutory criteria are met, taking into account the totality of the scientific evidence about the vaccine that is available to the FDA. Click here to learn more about Emergency Use Authorization. Watch a video on what an EUA is.
Are the COVID-19 vaccines rigorously tested?
Yes. Clinical trials are evaluating investigational COVID-19 vaccines in tens of thousands of study participants to generate the scientific data and other information needed by the FDA to determine safety and effectiveness. These clinical trials are being conducted according to the rigorous standards set forth by the FDA. Click here for the Vaccine Development - 101 process.
Yes, the COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Millions of people in the United States have received COVID-19 vaccines, and these vaccines have undergone the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history.
