As the U.S. moves through the vaccination process, stay aware of the next steps after full vaccination. With Moderna and Pfizer you will need two doses of the vaccine to be fully vaccinated. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine only requires one dose. Important to note: you are only considered fully vaccinated two weeks after your second dose. Or for Johnson & Johnson, two weeks after the one initial dose. You should still observe all standard safety precautions during those two weeks until you have crossed the finish line!
Before Vaccination:
Before you get the vaccination, talk to your doctor regarding your current medications. You’ll want to ask if there are any possible interactions or side effects with the vaccine. There can be a few side effects from the vaccine. You may experience arm soreness, nausea, headache, tiredness, chills, and fever. To help mitigate these possible side effects, use a cool washcloth or exercise to cope with arm tenderness. Additionally, drinking lots of fluids, dressing lightly, and sleep to address other physical symptoms.
What You Can Expect:
After two weeks, you will have new opportunities available to you! You can feel free to gather indoors with other fully vaccinated people and visit with family and friends again. However, if you do come into contact with someone who is Covid-19 positive, you will still need to quarantine for 10 days.
Safety Precautions:
Lastly, continue to observe safety precautions in public as the U.S. will not reach herd immunity until the country is 85% vaccinated. You should still stay 6 feet apart from others, avoid medium to large gatherings, keep away from unnecessary travel, and wear your mask in public. The CDC understands that the vaccine protects you from contracting COVID, but they are unsure of the risks of spreading the virus. This makes safety precautions very important still to continue to protect the rest of the population.
If you want more resources about COVID-19 vaccinations and what to expect after vaccination check out these resources:
When You’ve Been Fully Vaccinated: How to Protect Yourself and Others
What Happens When You Get the COVID-19 Vaccine?
