Vaccine ingredients vary by manufacturer. None of the vaccines contain eggs, gelatin, latex, or preservatives. All COVID vaccines are free from metals, such as iron, nickel, cobalt, lithium, and rare earth alloys. They are also free from manufactured products such as microelectronics, electrodes, carbon nanotubes, and nanowire semiconductors. None of the COVID vaccines authorized or approved in the United States contain any live virus.

That’s hard to predict because effects vary from person to person. Some people have no side effects at all. Other people experience symptoms that can include sore arms, a mild fever, or a rash. But all those side effects typically disappear within a few days (and they’re proof that your body is building antibodies to fight future illness). In any case, a day or two of mild discomfort is better than suffering through a week or more of COVID.

Yes. Children 6 months and older are eligible for a COVID vaccination. Please see the table earlier on this page for primary series and boosters suggested for different age groups.

Yes. An adult must accompany children 6 months to 15 years old to any vaccine appointment. If the adult present is not the child’s parent or guardian, consent must be submitted in advance.

It’s also preferred that a parent or guardian accompany children aged 16 or 17—but if this is not possible, the parent or guardian can provide written or verbal authorization.

Yes. People who already had COVID and do not get vaccinated after their recovery are actually more likely to get COVID again than those who get vaccinated after their recovery.

Even if you’re in great shape, you should still get vaccinated. For the best protection, the CDC recommends that anyone over the age of 6 months get vaccinated against COVID. Remember, this vaccination doesn’t just protect you. It can help protect your family, friends and loved ones, too.

The flu kills tens of thousands of Americans every year and many more people are hospitalized. This year’s flu season is shaping up to be the worst in over a decade. Symptoms of the flu include: fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and body aches. Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though those are more common in children. Even if you happen to get a mild case, it’s no fun.

It’s never too late. Typically, the CDC recommends getting your flu shot in September or October for the best protection throughout flu season. But vaccination after October still provides important protection as flu season peaks.

No. A flu vaccine contains an inactive virus, which teaches your body to produce antibodies. So in case you actually do catch the flu later, you’ll have antibodies ready to fight the disease.

No, flu shots are not dangerous at any stage of pregnancy. In fact, they’re more important than ever. Pregnant women have weakened immune systems, and a shot can offer more protection.

RSV shots are a good idea for anyone 60 years of age or older, pregnant people, adults who have certain risk factors, like lung or cardiovascular illness, and children 19 months or younger who have medical conditions that put them at high risk. Adults receive a vaccine, and young children receive monoclonal antibodies, which instead of stimulating the immune system like a vaccine, introduce antibodies that fight RSV.

RSV symptoms are a lot like cold symptoms, and they usually disappear in a week or two. But RSV leads to more than 2 million doctor visits and 80,000 hospitalizations per year. It is especially dangerous for people 65 or older, leading to as many as 10,000 deaths per year.

RSV season starts in the fall and lasts through winter, so it’s best to get your shot in late summer or early fall before the season starts. Unlike flu shots, which you should get every year, the RSV vaccine protects against the disease for two years.

Side effects are usually mild and include fatigue, fever, headache, muscle or joint pain, nausea, and diarrhea. For a small number of people who took part in clinical trials, serious neurologic conditions developed after they were vaccinated. This early data arose from the first season RSV vaccines were available and a link to neurological disorders is still being studied.

According to this CDC page, studies and clinical trials indicate that getting your COVID vaccine and flu shot at the same time is safe – and saves you time at the clinic.

Studies have shown that getting COVID and flu shots at the same time is safe, and getting flu and RSV shots has been found safe in clinical trials. No research has been conducted so far about the safety of having all three vaccines at one time.

In the past, the government hasn’t always made it easy for immigrants and people of color to get access to good health care. Some neighborhoods have had few pharmacies. Others have had none.

Today, we’re working to bring health care to every person, in every neighborhood. That’s what this effort is all about. We want to change health outcomes for the entire community.

Finally, the seemingly quick development of the first COVID vaccines in 2020 made some people believe that they were rushed. Four years later, there has been ample time to prove vaccines’ effectiveness—and scientists have worked hard to make the updated vaccines more effective than ever against the virus’s new variants.

Yes. The CDC has stated that COVID vaccines are available to anyone—including undocumented immigrants—regardless of their citizenship status.

Yes. Federal law and civil rights protections ensure that people with limited English language skills are entitled to interpretation or translation services to help them communicate with healthcare providers receiving federal funding.

We can’t say for sure. Some providers might. But even if they do, the federal Health Resources & Services Administration states that no one is required to provide identification to get vaccinated for COVID. The CDC has also stated that, since vaccines are now widely available, proof of state residency is not required for vaccination.

If a provider insists that you must show identification, we suggest you leave and find another vaccine clinic near you. If you suspect that federal health policies are being violated, you can submit a complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General.