A Quick Look At COVID Vaccine Questions

As a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, Altru Health System has access to Mayo Clinic knowledge, resources, and expertise. This includes collaborating with Mayo Clinic specialists on the COVID-19 pandemic.

With vaccines for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic becoming more widely available, there are some questions you may have before getting vaccinated.

What are the benefits of getting a COVID-19 vaccine?

• Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can help protect you by creating an antibody response in your body without your having to become sick with COVID-19.
• A COVID-19 vaccine might prevent you from getting COVID-19. Or, if you get COVID-19, the vaccine might keep you from becoming seriously ill or from developing serious complications.

What are the COVID-19 vaccine options & how do they work?

• The FDA has approved both the Pfizer/BioNTech and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for emergency use authorization.
• Both the Pfizer/BioNTech and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines use messenger RNA (mRNA). Learn more about how the mRNA vaccines work.

Can a COVID-19 vaccine give you COVID-19?

No. The COVID-19 vaccines currently being developed and distributed in the U.S. don’t use the live virus that causes COVID-19. While the vaccine does come with side effects, there is no live strain of the virus in the vaccine.

What are the possible side effects of a COVID-19 vaccine?

A COVID-19 vaccine can cause mild side effects after the first or second dose, including:

• Pain, redness, or swelling where the shot was given
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Muscle pain
• Chills
• Joint pain

Where can I get the COVID-19 vaccine?

The City of Grand Forks, the Grand Forks Public Health Department, and Altru Health System will be partnering to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine to the general public of Grand Forks County. We are now transitioning to phase 1B of the North Dakota Department of Health plan.

Community members who are 75 and older can contact the COVID hotline at 701.780.6358 or visit MyChart to be included on a vaccine waitlist.

I received my vaccine, can I stop wearing a mask?

At this point, experts want to learn more about the protection that a COVID-19 vaccine provides and how long immunity lasts. In the meantime, the CDC recommends following these precautions for avoiding infection with the COVID-19 virus:

• Avoid close contact with people you don’t live with.
• Wear face coverings in public places.
• Practice good hygiene.
• Stay home if you’re sick.

Where can I learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine?

We encourage you to talk to your health care provider if you have any questions or concerns about receiving the vaccine. You can also learn more and have more questions about the COVID-19 vaccine at altru.org/vaccine.

For more information on COVID-19 vaccines, visit altru.org/vaccine.

Please note that due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, guidelines and recommendations included in this blog may change over time and could vary from the original date of publication. For the latest news and updates related to COVID-19, please visit altru.org

Some of the content of this blog is courtesy of Mayo Clinic, the No. 1 hospital in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report. Altru Health System is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. This relationship provides us with access to information, knowledge, and expertise from Mayo Clinic.