Key things to know about vaccines

COVID-19 (coronavirus illness 2019) is caused by a virus. This virus is a new coronavirus that has spread throughout the world. There are several authorized and recommended vaccines to prevent COVID-19. These vaccines have met the required scientific standards for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality.

Effectiveness
The vaccines are effective at protecting you from COVID-19, especially severe illness and death. They reduce the risk of people spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. If you are fully vaccinated, you can resume activities that you did before you contracted the disease.
Studies show that the vaccines are effective at keeping you from getting COVID-19. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine will also help keep you from getting seriously ill even if you do get COVID-19.
COVID-19 vaccines teach our immune systems how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19. It typically takes two weeks after vaccination for the body to build protection (immunity) against the virus that causes COVID-19. That means it is possible a person could still get COVID-19 before or just after vaccination and then get sick because the vaccine did not have enough time to build protection.

Side effects
After COVID-19 vaccination, you may have some side effects. These are normal signs that your body is building protection. The side effects from COVID-19 vaccination, such as tiredness, headache, or chills, may affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days.

New variants
COVID-19 vaccines are effective against severe disease and death from variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, including the Delta variant.
• Infections happen in only a small proportion of people who are fully vaccinated, even with the Delta variant. When these infections occur among vaccinated people, they tend to be mild.
• If you are fully vaccinated and become infected with the Delta variant, you might be able to spread the virus to others.
People with weakened immune systems, including people who take immunosuppressive medications, may not be protected even if fully vaccinated.

Information source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC)