About This Guide

A chain of events changed the nation and world’s history in January 2020 when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak a global health emergency. COVID-19 is a strain of coronavirus belonging to the same virus family that triggers the onset of upper respiratory infections associated with the common cold. Now COVID-19 has forever changed life as we know it. Both local and international restrictions were implemented to slow the spread of COVID-19, including stay-at-home orders, travel bans and social distancing of at least six feet. Many nonessential businesses were closed including stores, restaurants, universities, gyms and more. This highly infectious disease poses a greater risk for the elderly and people with underlying health conditions. It has been found that a combination of natural immunity and vaccine-induced immunity is one of the most effective ways individuals can stay safe against COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccine has been an important part of helping the world return to some form of normalcy. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), “COVID-19 vaccines teach our immune systems how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19. It typically takes two weeks after vaccination for the body to build protection (immunity) against the virus that causes COVID-19. That means it is possible to still get COVID-19 before or after vaccination and then get sick because the vaccine did not have enough time to provide protection.” Various vaccines use either a whole virus or parts of a virus to cause the immune system to respond and remember how to fight a virus. The COVID-19 vaccines contain a spike-like structure on the surface of the COVID-19 virus referred to as an S protein. The S protein is responsible for helping the virus get inside the body’s cells to start the infection. Three main forms of vaccination have been created and implemented for use in the United States. These include the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, and the Johnson & Johnson Janssen COVID-19 vaccine.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and Moderna vaccine are Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. The mRNA is genetically engineered allowing cells to create a piece of S protein found on the surface of the COVID-19 virus. The body will begin to replicate the S protein throughout cells, which causes the body to generate antibodies. Even if a vaccinated individual does contract the COVID-19 virus, the antibodies present from the vaccine will fight the virus. The COVID-19 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is a two-part series vaccine, which is showing an efficiency of 95 percent with preventing COVID-19 infection after administration. The two-part series of the Moderna vaccine is 94.1 percent effective at preventing infection and symptoms after the second dose. Since both vaccinations are mRNA vaccinations, it is best to choose whichever is available when making an appointment for the vaccine. Those vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are considered protected within two weeks after the second dose of the vaccine.

The Johnson & Johnson Janssen COVID-19 vaccine falls into the vector vaccine category. Viral vector vaccines use modified versions of different viruses as a vector. The vector acts as a transport for the vaccine, delivering instructions to our cells in the form of genetic material (a gene). The vaccine does not cause infection with COVID-19 or the virus that is used as the vector. The vaccine causes the cells to make copies of the S protein and transmit them to the surfaces. Then antibodies are created to fight the virus if