Through an EUA, the FDA allows the use of an unapproved medical product, like a COVID-19 vaccine, when it meets certain criteria.

Declaring an EUA
An EUA allows for fast and widespread distribution of a medical product or treatment before it gets full approval from the FDA. An EUA is only an option during a public health emergency.

Duration of an EUA
An EUA lasts only for the duration of the declared emergency. At any time, the FDA can revise or revoke an EUA if the vaccine is found to be unsafe or ineffective. If the FDA formally approves a product, the EUA is removed.

Independent Review
To get EUA approval, a vaccine is independently evaluated to make sure it is safe and effective. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) review new vaccines.

EUA Approval
The next step is long-term research studies, called Phase 3 clinical trials. Data from these research studies must show each vaccine is safe and effective in the long-term.

The trials measure a variety of outcomes to study the effectiveness of the vaccine. This includes the number of positive COVID-19 tests, the number of participants who contracted mild or moderate cases of COVID-19, deaths related to COVID-19 and more.

FDA Full Approval
To get full approval, research must show the vaccine’s benefits outweigh any known or unknown risks. It must prove that the vaccine safely builds immunity.

To put it simply: Vaccines help keep you healthy. They reduce your chances of catching a potentially deadly virus. Vaccines use your body’s natural defense system to help you safely develop immunity against a disease.

Vaccines protect not only you but also others in your family and community by stopping the spread of diseases. This is especially important to our residents, many of whom are at a higher risk of developing serious complications from COVID-19.

We encourage residents and employees to get vaccinated and protect the most vulnerable in our communities.

COVID-19 mRNA vaccines give instructions (mRNA) to your immune cells. The vaccine tells the cells to make a harmless protein called a spike protein, which mimics the protein that is found on the surface of the COVID-19 virus. Your immune system then recognizes the protein doesn’t belong in your body and makes antibodies to get rid of it. Through this process, the mRNA vaccine teaches your body to fight off any future COVID-19 infections.

Read more about why you should get vaccinated.

As of Dec. 18, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are the only companies with a COVID-19 vaccine that received EUA. These vaccines both reported a 95% efficacy seven days after the second dose. While it will still be important to continue taking precautions, it is likely that COVID-19 spread will begin to slow soon after enough people receive the vaccine.

AstraZeneca and Janssen both currently have COVID-19 vaccines in Phase 3 clinical trials.

All vaccines undergo rigorous review before being distributed to the public.

Yes, we encourage those who have recovered from COVID-19 to get a vaccine. A vaccination should be offered to you regardless of whether you already had COVID-19.

At first, the vaccine will only be available to the groups who need it most. This includes health care workers and long-term care residents and staff.

CVS and Walgreens currently provide the vaccines on-site at our locations. It will be free of charge to residents and staff. This service is possible through the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-term Care Program.

Contact your location’s administrator to learn more.

At first, the COVID-19 vaccine is only being given to certain groups. This includes those at a higher risk of infection, including front-line health care workers and long-term care residents and workers. Once we get enough doses for everyone, they’ll be available to the general population. Vaccines will be prioritized for older adults and those with underlying health conditions.

The U.S. government and states are working hard to quickly make and distribute COVID-19 vaccines across the country. The goal is to get as many people vaccinated as we can as soon as possible. We’re working from distribution plans that make sure there are enough doses of the vaccine for the people who need them.

Herd immunity stops a virus from spreading easily through a community. To have herd immunity, a large portion of the population must become immune to a disease. The safest way to get herd immunity is to vaccinate most of the population. Widespread vaccination protects those who get vaccinated as well as those who can’t get the vaccine or don’t respond to a vaccine.

Currently, there is no data about potential long-term side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine. However, it is extremely rare for vaccines to have negative long-term side effects that appear beyond the FDA’s required two-month monitoring period in all trials. All vaccines must meet this requirement before receiving an Emergency Use Authorization.

Everyone needs to work together to stop the pandemic. You can prevent getting and spreading COVID-19 by:

• Wearing a mask to cover your mouth and nose when around others
• Social distancing
• Staying home when you’re sick
• Covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing
• Washing your hands often
• Not touching your face