Vaccine Information

Depending on your age and any underlying health conditions, CHAS Health is offering the Moderna Vaccine for all people six months and older.

Vaccination helps reduce the spread of a virus and protects the people around you, including people who are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. It is not possible to get COVID-19 from vaccines. The new COVID-19 vaccines use inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virus, parts of the virus, or a gene from the virus. None of these can cause COVID-19.

COVID-19 vaccines are carefully evaluated in clinical trials and are only allowed for use if the FDA considers them safe and effective. Safety and efficacy (how well the vaccine works to protect you) are determined by clinical trials. After clinical trials, medical experts examine test results and any side effects. If the vaccine works and is safe, it will get approved for distribution to the public.

According to the Washington State Department of Health, since we’re in a pandemic, developing a new vaccine can go faster than normal. No steps are skipped, but some steps happen at the same time, like applications, trials, and manufacturing. See the helpful video below to learn more about this process.

After receiving the vaccine, your arm may be sore, red, or warm to the touch. Some people report getting a headache or fever afterward. These symptoms usually go away on their own within a few days. The mild side effects are a sign that your immune system is doing exactly what it’s supposed to do: developing antibodies to protect against COVID-19.

You should get the second dose even if you experienced mild side effects from the first dose unless your health care provider instructs you otherwise.

You may see some rumors about untrue side effects online or on social media. Make sure any time you see a claim about a side effect that you check the source of that claim.

COVID-19 vaccinations are recommended even for people with autoimmune conditions, or who have had Guillain-Barré syndrome. If you have concerns, talk with your provider to make an informed decision.

Patients who are pregnant have an elevated risk for severe illness from COVID-19. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has published guidelines for vaccination. They recommend that COVID-19 vaccines should NOT be withheld from pregnant individuals who otherwise meet the criteria for vaccination.

The short answer is yes.

One of the most troubling things about this virus is its unpredictable nature. Some people get very sick, and some people barely have a sniffle. We are still finding out more about this situation as we go along, but the CDC has found that people who were infected with COVID-19 and recovered can be re-infected.  With a vaccine, you’re safeguarding yourself from a more aggressive re-infection.