Answering Common Questions About the COVID-19 Vaccine

Annika Miller Lampropoulos

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As of April 18th, all adults living in the United States are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. 

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are safe, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The FDA and CDC safety monitoring process is robust. 

In fact, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been temporarily paused after six reported cases of blood clotting amongst vaccine recipients. This brings me extreme comfort that potential risks are being so closely monitored. 

I have spent a lot of time discussing the decision to be vaccinated with friends and family throughout the last few weeks. As we’ve shared opinions and personal experiences, there are a few questions that have consistently made a way into the conversation: 


  • If I have already had COVID-19 and recovered, do I still need to get vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine? 

  • How many doses of the COVID-19 vaccine do I need to get? 

  • What are the most common side effects after getting a COVID-19 vaccine? 

  • How do I get the vaccine in my area?


Citing cdc.gov as our source, we are going to dive into answering these common questions. 

If I have already had COVID-19 and recovered, do I still need to get vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine? 

The short answer to this question is, yes. Regardless of whether or not you have already tested positive for COVID-19, it is recommended that you be vaccinated. Experts do not yet know how long you are protected from COVID-19 after recovering from the illness. Although rare, it is possible to be infected again.

On another note, there are some within the blogging community and on social media platforms that feel becoming infected with COVID-19 is a more fool-proof way to build one’s immunity. 

The CDC states plainly that the problem with that mentality is that there is no way of knowing how seriously an individual will be affected by coronavirus. COVID-19 can have serious, life-threatening complications. Additionally, if you get sick, you run the risk of spreading the disease to more vulnerable family members and friends. 


How many doses of the COVID-19 vaccine do I need to get? 

The number of doses needed depends on which vaccine you receive. To get the most protection:

  • Two Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine doses should be given 3 weeks (21 days) apart.

  • Two Moderna vaccine doses should be given 1 month (28 days) apart.

  • Johnson & Johnsons Jansen (J&J/Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine requires only one dose.

If you receive a vaccine that requires two doses, you should get your second shot as close to the recommended interval as possible. However, your second dose may be given up to 6 weeks (42 days) after the first dose, if necessary. You should not get the second dose earlier than the recommended interval.

What are the most common side effects after getting a COVID-19 vaccine? 

After getting vaccinated, you might have some side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building protection. Common side effects are: pain, redness, and swelling in the arm where you received the shot, as well as tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea throughout the rest of the body. These side effects could affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days (cdc.gov). 


How do I get the vaccine in my area?

Vaccines are now available across all 50 states to all persons over the age of 16. Testing is still being done on COVID-19 vaccinations in younger children. 

Simply giving your local pharmacy a call is probably the simplest way to receive the vaccine. If you have a preference as to which vaccine you will receive, they will be able to let you know beforehand which vaccine they currently have available. 

Some examples of pharmacies administering the vaccine in the Rexburg, Idaho area include: 

  • Walgreens Co. at 164 E. Main Street.

  • The Medicine Shoppe at 167 W. Main Street. 

  • SAV-ON Pharmacy at 490 N. 2nd E.

  • Walmart INC. at 1450 N. 2nd E. 

Please visit cdc.gov for any more questions related to COVID-19 or email the Rexburg Free Clinic with any health-related questions you would like to see addressed in our future blog posts annika.miller17@gmail.com

Free Clinic Intern