What you don’t know can hurt: 3 facts about updated COVID-19 vaccines for journalists to share

Now is the best time for journalists to alert their audiences about how to plan ahead for a healthy winter.

That’s why Poynter partnered with the Risk Less. Do More. Public Education Campaign to host a webinar and a series of articles like this one to better inform journalists about the important role they play in the fight against respiratory illnesses.

The free webinar, “COVID conspiracies, flu facts and respiratory realness: The journalists’ guide to debunking health misinformation,”  features CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta and CDC Principal Deputy Director Dr. Nirav Shah. A replay is available.

Four and a half years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, people are once again enjoying time with friends and family and doing their favorite things. But the virus that causes COVID-19 keeps changing, so it’s still important to stay up to date on your vaccinations. Respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, are common during the fall and winter months. That’s why now is a good time to take care of yourself and your loved ones by getting the facts on the updated COVID-19 vaccines.   

“As the virus changes, we are learning more and more about how to protect people from COVID-19,” said Namandjé N. Bumpus, Ph.D., principal deputy commissioner at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “Getting the latest COVID-19 vaccine means your protection is as up to date as possible.” 

Here is information about this season’s COVID-19 vaccines from the Risk Less. Do More. public education campaign:

Vaccines are the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from COVID-19. Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 lowers your chances of getting very sick or hospitalized. Some people who get the vaccines still get sick, but vaccination can make symptoms milder. This is important if you are over age 65 or have certain health conditions. Both things can put you at a higher risk for serious or long-lasting health problems, such as Long COVID or even death from COVID-19. If you do get COVID-19, ask your doctor about treatment options to reduce your risk of severe illness.   

COVID-19 vaccines are regularly updated to keep up with the changing virus. The COVID-19 vaccines are updated based on the latest variants of the virus. The updated vaccines offer the best protection against the changing virus that causes COVID-19. Getting the latest vaccine boosts your immunity and lowers your risk of severe sickness. 

Side effects for COVID-19 vaccines are usually mild and go away on their own in a few days. The most common side effects are soreness or redness at the injection site, headache or body aches, or fever. Severe side effects like anaphylaxis are rare, with about 5 adverse events per one million doses given.

For the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, people in Black and Hispanic communities were consistently more likely to get COVID-19, need medical or hospital care, and die from COVID-19 than people in other communities. That gap has narrowed over time, but this past summer, Black people were still more likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19 compared to the average across all races and ethnicities combined. Hispanic people had lower than average rates of hospitalization. For everyone, getting the latest COVID-19 vaccine offers the best protection against severe disease and hospitalization.

Staying informed and getting this season’s COVID-19 vaccine—and encouraging loved ones to do the same—is one of the best things you can do to protect yourself and others this fall and winter. Knowing the facts about COVID-19 vaccinations can give you peace of mind and support a safer, healthier future for all. For more information, visit cdc.gov/RiskLessDoMore or talk to your doctor. 

If you think you have COVID-19, testing can help. All U.S. households are now eligible to receive four free COVID-19 test kits. Order them today at COVIDTests.gov.