COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

COVID-19 is the third time that a member of the coronavirus family has been detected.  Previous outbreaks of Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) were in in 2002 and 2012 respectively.

It is likely that the first evidence in China of the COVID-19 virus was in late 2019.  In March of 2020 WHO announced the pandemic with the United States declaring a national emergency on March 13, 2020.

COVID-19 is believed to have originated from a lab-related incident at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. EcoHealth, partially funded by the National Institute of Health, facilitated this dangerous gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China. 

The government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic proved to be one of the most consequential events in modern American history. Yet, the virus itself may not have the same lasting effects to health, culture, and the economy as the government’s policy response.  It is estimated that there were 18.2 million deaths worldwide between 2020-2021 due to the governmental response to COVID-19. The scientific and political community also shut down debate on any policy or treatment that did not align with the established narrative.  The long-term effects are a lost generation due to prolonged school closures and a world that is distrustful of science and of each other. Policies aimed at fighting COVID-19 had tremendous unintended consequences that we will likely be dealing with for generations to come. Now we must collect and analyze the data to properly understand the true impact of the government’s response to the COVID pandemic and to take those lessons to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions

COVID-19 is an infection with a virus called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 is a strain of coronavirus not previously seen in humans. Coronaviruses are named for the crown-like spikes on their surfaces.

SARS-CoV-2 is the third novel coronavirus to emerge in this century and infect humans (the original SARS outbreak emerged in China in 2003 and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus emerged in Saudi Arabia in 2012). This third member of the coronavirus family was first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020. The United States declared a public health emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. This emergency was rescinded on March 15, 2023.

SARS-CoV-2 spreads easily from person-to-person when people are in close contact, mainly through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Fatigue
  • Loss of taste or smell
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • Pain or pressure in the chest
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Not able to wake up or stay awake

Multiple treatments have been used in treating COVID-19, from inexpensive therapeutics to vaccines. Today, there are continued scientific discussions about what treatments are most effective and what role vaccines play in reducing the severity of COVID-19. Any treatment - whether therapeutics, natural supplements, or vaccines - is the choice of the individual and should be a shared clinical decision-making process between the patient and their doctor.

The decision to receive a COVID-19 vaccine should be a shared clinical decision-making process between you and your doctor. We urge you to consult your doctor prior to receiving a COVID vaccine or before vaccinating your children.

In May 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that COVID-19 vaccines were removed from the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women and are only being recommended for individuals 65 and older.

You should not get a coronavirus vaccine if you had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in the vaccine (you can find vaccine ingredients on the Moderna, Pfizer, Janssen, or Novavax fact sheets).

If you had a severe allergic reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine, you should not get an additional dose of that vaccine. Talk to your healthcare provider about getting an additional dose of another COVID-19 vaccine.

You should not get the Janssen vaccine if you had a blood clot along with a low level of platelets (blood cells that help your body stop bleeding) following Janssen COVID-19 vaccine or following AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine (not authorized or approved in the United States).

You should talk with your healthcare provider before getting vaccinated if you, or the person getting vaccinated:

  • Are sick, not feeling well, or have a fever
  • May have had a serious reaction to a vaccine in the past
  • Have allergies
  • Have myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle
  • Have pericarditis, an inflammation of the lining outside the heart
  • Have a bleeding disorder or are on a blood thinner
  • Are immunocompromised or are taking medicine that affects your immune system
  • Are planning to become pregnant, are pregnant, or are breastfeeding
  • Have ever fainted when getting an injection
  • Received another COVID-19 vaccine

These COVID-19 vaccines were tested for safety and will continue to be studied to ensure their safety. Most people who have taken COVID-19 vaccines report that side effects are usually mild and go away after several days. However, it is possible for severe and unexpected side effects to occur.

The common side effects may include:

  • Pain, swelling, or redness where the shot was given
  • Feeling tired
  • Headache
  • Muscle pain
  • Chills
  • Joint pain
  • Fever
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Feeling unwell
  • Tender or swollen lymph nodes

Experiencing these side effects from a vaccine can mean that the body is generating an immune response. Remember, vaccines mimic a natural infection without directly causing an infection. Some people feel an immune response more than others and some people may feel the immune response more after the second dose of the vaccine. Learn more about vaccine side effects.

There is a remote chance that a COVID-19 vaccine could cause a severe allergic reaction. A severe allergic reaction would usually occur within a few minutes to one hour after getting a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. For this reason, your vaccination provider may ask you to stay at the place where you received your vaccine for monitoring after vaccination.

Signs of a severe allergic reaction can include:

  • Difficulty breathing
  • Swelling of your face and throat
  • A fast heartbeat
  • A bad rash all over your body
  • Dizziness and weakness

If you experience a severe allergic reaction, call 9-1-1, or go to the nearest hospital. Call your vaccination provider or your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.

Please report any potential side effects experienced from COVID-19 vaccination to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, a program co-managed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration to ensure that all recommended vaccines remain safe. The Countermeasure Injury Compensation Program (CICP) may help pay for the costs of medical care and other expenses for people seriously injured from a COVID-19 vaccine. Learn more about the CICP.

These may not be all the possible side effects of a COVID-19 vaccine. Serious and unexpected side effects may occur, as these vaccines are still being studied in clinical trials.

We encourage COVID-19 vaccination recipients who experience any vaccine side effects to file a report with the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, a program co-managed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration. The adverse effects reported will be used as an important data point in future COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.

In June 25, 2025, the FDA issued a Safety Communication informing the public and healthcare providers that FDA has required and approved updates to the Prescribing Information for Comirnaty (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) manufactured by Pfizer Inc. and Spikevax (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) manufactured ModernaTX, Inc. to include new safety information about the risks of myocarditis and pericarditis following administration of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Specifically, FDA has required each manufacturer to update the warning about the risks of myocarditis and pericarditis to include information about (1) the estimated unadjusted incidence of myocarditis and/or pericarditis.  More information can be found here.

The data shows that only “high-risk” children – that is children with risk factors for severe COVID-19 - demonstrated a benefit-risk profile sufficient for approval. The overall disease burden in healthy children is too low to justify broad use. Approval for healthy children requires more definitive evidence of benefit.

This decision may lead to changes in clinical recommendations for high-risk children but does not support a vaccination recommendation for healthy children. Providers and public health officials should use this revised indication to guide tailored recommendations.

Get Immunized

Getting immunized is easy. Vaccines are available at the doctor’s office or pharmacies — and are usually covered by insurance.

Find out how to get protected.

Content created by Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP)
Content last reviewed