COVID-19 vaccines are one of the most effective tools to protect yourself and others from the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The vaccines can prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. They can also reduce the spread of the virus in the community.
There are four approved or authorized vaccines in the United States:
- Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are mRNA vaccines. They use messenger RNA (mRNA) to teach your cells how to fight the virus. They require two doses given 3 or 4 weeks apart.
- Novavax COVID-19 vaccine is a protein subunit vaccine. It uses a harmless piece of the virus's spike protein to trigger an immune response. It requires two doses given 3 weeks apart.
- Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J/Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine is a viral vector vaccine. It uses a modified version of a different virus to deliver instructions to your cells to fight the virus. It requires one dose.
All four vaccines are safe and effective, and have undergone rigorous testing and monitoring by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They have been shown to reduce the risk of COVID-19 by more than 90% in clinical trials and real-world studies.
The vaccines are also free and available to anyone who wants one, regardless of their insurance or immigration status. The Biden administration and drugmakers Pfizer and Moderna have announced programs that aim to help uninsured Americans access COVID shots for free even after the public health emergency ends.
The public health emergency, which was first declared in January 2020 to combat the novel coronavirus, ended on Thursday, May 12, 2023. This means that some of the restrictions and benefits related to COVID-19 testing, treatment, data reporting, health coverage, and telemedicine will change.
For example, international travelers entering the country are no longer required to be vaccinated, removing the last of the restrictions on travel put in place beginning in 2020. However, they still need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of departure or recovery from COVID-19 within the past 90 days.
Consumers can still order free home tests through COVIDtests.gov , but access might change because the Biden administration has paused buying tests and supply may be limited. Medicaid enrollees will continue to receive free tests until Sept. 30, 2024; Medicare enrollees will no longer receive free at-home tests, but lab tests are covered; private insurers are no longer required to pay for eight home tests a month; and uninsured people may be able to get testing through pharmacies and community-based sites under a CDC program.
People who have received a COVID-19 vaccine should continue to follow CDC's recommendations for protecting themselves and others from COVID-19. These include wearing a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission, avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces, washing hands often, and staying home when sick.
People who are eligible for a booster dose should get one as soon as possible to increase their protection against COVID-19 variants. Booster doses are recommended for people aged 12 years and older who completed their primary series of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine at least five months ago, or J&J/Janssen vaccine at least two months ago.
People who have not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine should get one as soon as possible to protect themselves and their loved ones from COVID-19. Vaccines are widely available at pharmacies, clinics, health departments, and other locations across the country. People can find a COVID-19 vaccine near them by visiting Vaccines.gov , calling 1-800-232-0233 , or texting their ZIP code to 438829 .
COVID-19 vaccines are a safe and effective way to end the pandemic and return to normal life. By getting vaccinated and following public health guidelines, we can all do our part to stop the spread of the virus and save lives.