Can I get the COVID-19 vaccine if I am pregnant?

CDC strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccination either before or during pregnancy, because the benefits of vaccination for both pregnant persons and their fetus/infant outweigh known or potential risks. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can prevent severe illness, death, and pregnancy complications related to COVID-19.

Is it safe to take the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine?

After receiving the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine, there is risk for a rare but serious adverse event—blood clots with low platelets (thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, or TTS). Women younger than 50 years old should especially be aware of their increased risk for this rare adverse event.

Can I get the COVID-19 vaccine if I have an underlying condition?

People with underlying medical conditions can receive a COVID-19 vaccine as long as they have not had an immediate or severe allergic reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine or to any of the ingredients in the vaccine. Learn more about vaccination considerations for people with underlying medical conditions. Vaccination is an important consideration for adults of any age with certain underlying medical conditions because they are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe for people with underlying health conditions?

Clinical trials show that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective in people with underlying medical conditions, including those that place them at increased risk for severe COVID-19 symptoms, compared to people without underlying medical conditions.

Who can receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine?

FDA has authorized the emergency use of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine in individuals 18 years of age and older.

How many shots do I need with the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine?

If you receive a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, you will need 2 shots to get the most protection.

How many doses of COVID-19 vaccine will 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.

Can you get a Pfizer COVID-19 booster after Moderna vaccine?

Yes. The F.D.A. has updated its authorizations to allow medical providers to boost people with a different vaccine than the one they initially received, a strategy known as “mix and match.” Whether you received Moderna, Johnson & Johnson or Pfizer-BioNTech, you may receive a booster of any other vaccine.

Are the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots the same as the first?

If you got Moderna or Pfizer for your first dose: Moderna's booster dose will be half of its original dosing, while Pfizer's booster shot is the same as the initial doses.

Is it safe to take a different COVID-19 booster shot?

The study found that boosting with a different vaccine is safe, and that boosters increased antibody levels no matter the combination.

Can I mix and match COVID-19 booster vaccines?

Boosters are now available for the three COVID-19 vaccines, made by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has given the green light for safely mixing and matching the shots.

Should you get the Covid vaccine if you have an autoimmune disease?

The American College of Rheumatology COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Guidance recommends that people with autoimmune and inflammatory rheumatic disease (which includes lupus) get the vaccine unless they have an allergy to an ingredient in the vaccine.

Can immunocompromised people get the COVID-19 vaccine?

People with immunocompromising conditions or people who take immunosuppressive medications or therapies are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 illness. The currently FDA-approved or FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines are not live vaccines and therefore can be safely administered to immunocompromised people.

Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe if you have heart problems?

Not only are the vaccines safe for people with a history of heart disease, they are essential. People with heart disease are at increased risk of severe complications from COVID-19.

Are people with autoimmune diseases considered high risk for COVID-19?

Researchers have reported higher rates of severe COVID-19 and death in people with autoimmune disease than in the general population. It is unclear whether this is attributable to the autoimmune disease, the immunosuppressive medications taken to treat it, or both.

Is having a heart condition considered as high risk for COVID-19?

Having heart conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, and possibly high blood pressure (hypertension) can make you more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19.

Are patients with hypertension at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19?

Hypertension is more frequent with advancing age and among non-Hispanic blacks and people with other underlying medical conditions such as obesity and diabetes. At this time, people whose only underlying medical condition is hypertension might be at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

What are the common side effects of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine?

The most commonly reported side effects were pain at the injection site, headache, fatigue, muscle aches and nausea. Most of these side effects occurred within 1-2 days following vaccination and were mild to moderate in severity and lasted 1-2 days.

How does the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine differ from mRNA?

The ultimate difference is the way the instructions are delivered. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines use mRNA technology, and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine uses the more traditional virus-based technology. mRNA is essentially a little piece of code that the vaccine delivers to your cells.

What are the ingredients in the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine?

The Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine includes the following ingredients: recombinant, replication-incompetent adenovirus type 26 expressing the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, citric acid monohydrate, trisodium citrate dihydrate, ethanol, 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HBCD), polysorbate-80, sodium chloride.