Getting vaccinated will significantly decrease the chance that you will contract COVID-19, a serious and potentially fatal disease. You will also decrease the likelihood of spreading the coronavirus to those around you, ensuring that the Temple community is that much safer.
Each person vaccinated is helping our community return to normal life. Once enough people are vaccinated, we can begin interacting with each other in public spaces again.
When you get vaccinated, you’re making a difference in your life and the lives of others.
Will I have side effects?
Some people may experience some flu-like side effects after vaccination. This is a normal sign that the body is building protection and that the immune system is responding to the vaccine. The side effects might even affect one’s ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days.
How many doses of the COVID-19 vaccine do I need?
Both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines require two doses to be effective. The interval between doses is dependent on which vaccine you receive.
- Moderna: One month, or 28 days
- Pfizer-BioNtech: Three weeks, or 21 days
If I already had COVID-19 and recovered, do I still need to get vaccinated?
Yes. Due to the severe health risks associated with COVID-19 and the fact that reinfection with COVID-19 is possible, you should be vaccinated regardless of whether you already had a COVID-19 infection.
If you were treated for COVID-19 symptoms with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, you should wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Talk to your doctor if you are unsure what treatments you received or if you have more questions about getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
Experts do not yet know how long someone is protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19. The immunity someone gains from having an infection, called “natural immunity,” varies from person to person. Furthermore, we won’t know how long immunity produced by a vaccination lasts until more data becomes available.
Both natural immunity and vaccine-induced immunity are important aspects of COVID-19 that experts are working to learn more about. The CDC will keep the public informed as new evidence becomes available.
Can I still be infectious or symptomatic after I receive the vaccine?
Yes. The vaccine does not kill the COVID-19 virus that enters your system; it simply provides additional protection for fighting off future infections. Despite increased antibodies that help to protect against severe infection, it is still possible that one can host and transmit COVID-19 after receiving both doses of either vaccine.
Do I need to wear a mask and avoid close contact with others if I have gotten two doses of the vaccine?
Yes. The vaccine protects you from becoming severely ill from the virus, but it is still unclear if you could transmit the virus to someone else after being exposed. Not enough people in the population have been vaccinated for the virus to be adequately suppressed. We will need to continue to wear masks and avoid close contact with others to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.
COVID-19 symptoms and testing. Department of Health. (n.d.). https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/Symptoms-Testing.aspx#.
