The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must verify that the vaccines are safe and can prevent COVID-19. The FDA can authorize the use of vaccine under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), which it has done for the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.
Before an EUA is granted, an independent committee reviews and verifies the data showing the vaccine is safe and effective. Next, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices reviews the data and recommends who should be vaccinated based on clinical trial results.
At Novant Health UVA Health System, commitment to team member and patient safety will remain our priority. We will not administer a vaccine that is not safe. In the studies looking at the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, each vaccine had a side-effect profile similar to other vaccines, like the flu vaccine. It is recommended that if you have a severe (anaphylaxis) reaction to another vaccine or injectable medication that you do not get this vaccine without talking with your doctor first.