The COVID-19 vaccine will help keep you from getting COVID-19. The vaccine helps your body develop immunity to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccines are 100% effective in preventing COVID-19-related hospitalization and death. We encourage our members to get vaccinated when they are eligible.
You cannot catch COVID-19 from the vaccine. However, after you receive any vaccine, you may have mild side effects. This is normal and a sign that the body is building immunity to help fight infection. If you do have side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccination, they will be similar to the symptoms that many other common vaccines often cause. This may include soreness in your arm, fever, chills, tiredness and headache.
Call your provider if you develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks of getting the J&J vaccine. This could be a sign of the rare but serious blood clots that occurred in a small number of people who received the J&J vaccine.
The FDA has attached warnings on the Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine. Learn more on the vaccine recipient and vaccination provider fact sheets.