In December 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of two vaccines to fight COVID-19: Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. Both of these vaccines have a 94-95% effective rate and both are given in a two-shot series. In February 2021, the FDA approved the use of Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine, and while it is a single-shot dose, it is only about 72% effective, and just this week, the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommended a “pause” on that vaccine because a few women have experienced some serious blood clotting issues. Click here for a Yale Medicine article comparing the three vaccines.

Although each vaccine helps provide immunity against the virus and all three decrease the severity of the disease, there are some expected side effects, such as fever, sore throat, cough, and other common fever symptoms. So, now that the federal government has made the vaccines available to all adults over age 18, here are a few considerations to keep in mind.

If you have diabetes, a respiratory disease, cardiovascular issues, or any other healthcare issues, then it is recommended to take the vaccine first apart from other people who don’t have health issues. This is because those who have health issues are more likely to experience severe complications if they are diagnosed with COVID-19. However, even if you don’t experience health complications, it is still recommended that you take the vaccine.

If you have been previously diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past and intend on taking the vaccine, make sure that you are not ill when you receive the injection. Even if you have recovered from the virus, it is recommended to wait 90 days after your recovery for the best protection.

When taking the Pfizer vaccine and the Moderna one, you are required to take two doses. When you take the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, you’ll have to wait at least 21 days until you can take the second dose. As for the Moderna vaccine, you have to wait for 28 days until you can take the second dose. Unlike Pfizer and Moderna, the Johnson and Johnson vaccine only requires one dose.

Although many adults have already been vaccinated, it is important to remember that appropriate vaccines for children are still in clinical trials. The Pfizer vaccine is safe for adults and adolescents 16 and up, while the Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines are for anyone 18 or older.

To receive your dose, check with your local doctors, hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies.