Now that two vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) have been approved for distribution and more are on the way, most people are eager to know as much as possible about them. Some are concerned that the vaccines — developed, tested and authorized for use less than a year after the first cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed — will have side effects or long-term consequences.

In a recent National Public Radio interview, Anthony Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a leading COVID-19 expert, said such worries are not warranted.

“If you look at what goes on historically with vaccines, overwhelmingly they are the safest and most effective interventions in medicine when it comes to infectious diseases,” Fauci said. “The speed is really a reflection of the scientific advances that have allowed us to do things in a matter of months that would have formerly taken years. It would be terrible to have a vaccine which is extraordinarily efficacious … if people don’t utilize that tool.”

To help quell concerns about the vaccines, and more importantly, help people understand why the vaccines are safe and effective, Johns Hopkins Medicine has posted a new infographic, “COVID-19 Vaccines: What You Need to Know,” which answers some of the most common questions. These include:

· How do the vaccines work?

· Are the vaccines safe?

· Do the vaccines work?

The infographic also dispels some of the common myths surrounding the COVID-19 vaccines, such as those regarding whether masking, handwashing and social distancing are necessary after vaccination.

The infographic is available to the media and the public at www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-vaccines-infographic.

More information on the vaccines may be accessed at www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine.

Johns Hopkins Medicine experts are available for interviews about the vaccines.