Coronavirus Overview
The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective
How do we know this? Because our experts have dedicated their lives to studying how infectious diseases and vaccines work. While the COVID-19 vaccines are new, the technology they use has been studied and refined for decades.
Two types of vaccines
There are two types of COVID-19 vaccines currently approved for emergency use authorization (EUA) by the FDA. Pfizer and Moderna vaccines rely on mRNA technology. Scroll below for more information on how this new technology works and why it's safe. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine uses a technology called viral vector. Read more from our experts about how viral vector vaccines work.
Here's how the mRNA vaccine protects you
SARS-COV-2
SARS-COV-2 is the strain of coronavirus that causes COVID-19. It's known as a spike protein. Spikes allow a ribonucleic acid (RNA) strand to enter the body, reproduce and kill healthy cells.
When the virus enters the body
When a virus enters the body, your body's immune system creates antibodies to fight the virus. Since COVID-19 is a novel virus, our body's immune system has not encountered this virus before and isn't prepared to fight.
How the vaccine protects you
The vaccine contains messenger RNA made with the genetic code of spike proteins. When you're injected with the vaccine, this messenger RNA enters your cells and produces a protein to stimulate an immune response, similar to COVID-19.
Now if you encounter the real virus, your body will recognize COVID-19 and is trained to fight it.
Learn more about the science, side effects and developments in the COVID-19 vaccine
What to know about mRNA: the science behind the vaccine
An infectious disease specialist breaks down how mRNA vaccine technology works and why scientists and medical experts are confident in its safety.
How quickly does the COVID-19 vaccine work?
Here's what we know about how quickly, and how much, protection you'll get in the weeks following your vaccination. Plus, learn why wearing a mask is still recommended no matter how much time has passed since getting the vaccine.
What our doctors get asked the most
We asked primary care providers in The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s Department of Family and Community Medicine to share what they’re asked most when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine.
Frequently asked questions
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Are the vaccines safe?
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Did the COVID-19 vaccine go through a clinical trial?
Have more questions? We have more answers. Read all COVID-19 vaccine frequently asked questions.
More from Ohio State
Getting a COVID-19 vaccine isn’t just about you — it protects others in your life
According to recent data, both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines have been effective not just in preventing severe symptoms in people who get the vaccines — they also effectively prevent infection from COVID-19 in the first place.
Why COVID-19 could be causing blood clots — and what you can do to lower your risk
As if the breathing complications associated with COVID-19 aren’t worrisome enough, doctors are discovering another risk posed by the coronavirus: blood clots that can lead to life-threatening strokes, heart attacks and pulmonary embolism.