how do they work?
Messenger RNA Vaccines
Pfizer and Moderna
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The vaccine delivers a piece of genetic code that serves as a set of instructions for your cells to make the harmless spike proteins.
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When the immune systems recognize that the protein doesn’t belong there, it will start creating antibodies and building an immune response that will teach your body how to fight off future infection.
Viral Vector Vaccine
Johnson and Johnson
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A weakened, harmless version of the virus is used to carry a genetic code that will tell your cells to produce a spike protein.
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The body will create antibodies to the virus and build an immune response so that your immune systems will be able to respond to infection in the future.
benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine
People who are fully vaccinated can resume normal activities without a mask or physical distancing where regulations allow.*
A person is fully vaccinated two weeks after their final dose of the vaccine. Only then can a person stop wearing masks and physical distancing where it is not required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws and regulations, including local business and workplace guidelines.
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*North Carolina strongly recommends wearing a mask in public places or locations with high risk of transmission even for individuals who are fully vaccinated.
Millions of Americans are receiving the vaccine under the most intense safety monitoring in U.S. history.
Between December 14, 2020 and June 21, 2021, over 317 millions doses of the COVID-19 vaccines have been given. These vaccines have gone through, and continue to go through, the most rigorous monitoring to ensure the safety of Americans.
Getting vaccinated gets the country closer to herd immunity.
Herd immunitity is achieved when a large enough portion of the community is immune to the disease. Experts project that 70% of the population would have to be immune to the COVID-19 virus in order to reach herd immunity. Currently, only 42% of people in North Carolina are fully vaccinated.
Most importantly, the vaccine protects you, your community, and, ultimately, saves lives.