Vaccines are crucial for preventing the spread and severity of disease. The COVID-19 vaccine provides much needed protection as we work together to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our community.

Getting the vaccine will keep you healthy, and it is crucial in our fight against COVID-19 to help our community return to normal.

Your health and safety are our top priority at Conway Regional. We know that vaccines are crucial for preventing the spread and severity of disease. The COVID-19 vaccine provides much needed protection and has been approved by the FDA after meeting federal safety and effectiveness standards.

COVID-19 vaccines have been tested in large clinical trials to make sure they meet safety standards. The FDA reviews all safety data from the clinical trials and authorizes emergency vaccines use. Next, ACIP, a CDC advisory committee, reviews all safety data before recommending any COVID-19 vaccine for use. Both FDA and CDC continue to monitor safety of COVID-19 vaccines.

You may experience side effects that have been reported with the Pfizer vaccine, including:

• injection site pain
• tiredness
• headache
• muscle pain
• chills
• joint pain
• fever
• injection site swelling
• injection site redness
• nausea
• feeling unwell
• swollen lymph nodes

These side effects will be temporary, and this vaccine has proven safe and effective at preventing COVID-19.

To receive a vaccine, please call our Patient Navigation Center at 501-506-CRHS (2747) to be scheduled for an appointment at one of our primary care locations.

To date, Conway Regional has received and distributed the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. This is an mRNA vaccine that contains synthetic mRNA, which is genetic information used to make the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The spike protein is the part of the virus that attaches to human cells. The spike protein alone cannot cause COVID-19. Once the spike protein is created, it causes the immune system to respond by making antibodies against the virus. These antibodies provide protection if a person comes into contact with the COVID-19 virus. The mRNA vaccines are non-infectious and do not enter the human cell nucleus so it cannot be inserted into human DNA or alter human DNA.

COVID-19 vaccination should be offered to you regardless of whether you have already had COVID-19. You should not be required to have an antibody test before you are vaccinated.

However, anyone currently infected with COVID-19 should wait to get vaccinated until after their illness has resolved and after they have met the criteria to discontinue isolation.

Additionally, current evidence suggests that reinfection with the virus that causes COVID-19 is uncommon in the 90 days after initial infection.

Therefore, people with a recent infection may delay vaccination until the end of that 90-day period if desired.

CDC and FDA encourage the public to report possible side effects (called adverse events) to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). This national system collects these data to look for adverse events that are unexpected, appear to happen more often than expected, or have unusual patterns of occurrence. Learn about the difference between a vaccine side effect and an adverse event. Reports to VAERS help CDC monitor the safety of vaccines. Safety is a top priority.

Healthcare providers will be required to report certain adverse events following vaccination to VAERS. Healthcare providers also have to adhere to any revised safety reporting requirements according to FDA’s conditions of authorized use throughout the duration of any Emergency Use Authorization; these requirements would be posted on FDA’s website.

CDC is also implementing a new smartphone-based tool called v-safe to check-in on people’s health after they receive a COVID-19 vaccine. When you receive your vaccine, you should also receive a v-safe information sheet telling you how to enroll in v-safe. If you enroll, you will receive regular text messages directing you to surveys where you can report any problems or adverse reactions you have after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.