This we know about vaccines and variants of covid-19 2:28
(CNN) -
Getting Americans vaccinated against the deadly new coronavirus is a race at full speed.
As you prepare to receive the injection, read here 10 things experts suggest you do and avoid.
YES: get vaccinated when it's your turn
You should be able to find out when it is your turn to get vaccinated and how to register in your neighborhood by contacting your local or state health department.
CNN created a list of state websites, emails, and phone numbers in all 50 states and territories.
Look there for information on vaccine records available in your area.
Google Maps locates vaccination centers 1:10
DON'T let misinformation about vaccines cloud your judgment
Social media is riddled with misinformation about covid-19 and the vaccines available to prevent it.
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If you have questions about the vaccine, find out.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is just one of many trusted organizations with proven, science-based data on the virus and available vaccines.
YES: get vaccinated if you already had covid-19
Reinfection with COVID-19 is definitely possible, the CDC says, so everyone should get vaccinated against the coronavirus, including those who have already had the disease.
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One note
: If you were given monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma while you were sick with COVID-19, you must wait 90 days after treatment to receive the vaccine, the CDC warns.
Check with your doctor before scheduling your injection date.
DO NOT get vaccinated if you have covid-19 at this time or have been exposed to the virus
If you tested positive for COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone who has the disease, you should not go to the vaccination site to receive the injection until symptoms and isolation period have passed, said Dr. Michael Ison. , a professor in the division of infectious diseases and organ transplantation at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
Simply put, you don't want to make people waiting in line sick.
You don't want to make health workers sick, ”said Ison.
YES: receive the vaccine if you still have symptoms of covid-19 months later
Increasing numbers of people become long-term patients (known as
"long-haulers"
) who continue to suffer from fatigue, confusion, aches, headaches, and other ailments months after the virus has left their systems.
Don't let these ongoing effects keep you from getting the vaccine, said Dr. Peter Hotez, a vaccine scientist, professor and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
"We believe that long-term symptoms are not due to an active viral infection, but to prolonged inflammatory responses to the virus," Hotez said.
DO NOT receive another type of vaccine within 14 days after the covid-19 injection
Wait at least 14 days before or after receiving another vaccine, including the flu or shingles vaccine, to get the COVID-19 shot, the CDC says.
However, if you inadvertently received another vaccine within that period, you must complete the series of injections of the COVID-19 vaccine according to schedule.
The CDC says they could update these guidelines as more information becomes available about how vaccines interact.
YES: Inform the staff administering the vaccinations of any past allergies or allergic reactions
It is rare, but some people have had moderate to severe allergic reactions after receiving the mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer, so be sure to inform the nursing staff at the vaccination site of any allergic reactions you have previously had.
If you have a history of immediate or severe allergic reactions to vaccines or other injections, try keeping an EpiPen handy, said Dr. Saju Mathew, an Atlanta primary care physician and public health specialist.
DO NOT drive before your 15 or 30 minute waiting period is up
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The CDC requires that all people who receive the coronavirus vaccine wait 15 minutes in their car before driving.
If you have a history of severe allergic reactions, you will be asked to wait 30 minutes in the vehicle to make sure you can drive safely.
Both waits are a minor inconvenience, experts say, compared to the dangers of an adverse reaction like dizziness or worse while driving.
If you have a severe reaction after leaving the vaccination site, call 911, the CDC suggests.
All reactions can be reported in a smartphone app called V-safe or the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).
The most common reactions to the vaccine are pain and swelling at the injection site.
Sometimes, more commonly after the second injection, people may experience signs similar to COVID-19 such as fever, fatigue, headache, and chills.
YES: you receive the second injection of the vaccine within the recommended time frame
The second injection is necessary to make sure you are protected, according to Hotez.
"Looking at the phase 1 and phase 2 data, what I saw with a single dose is that some people had high levels of virus-neutralizing antibodies, (while) others were unresponsive," he said.
So the main reason for the second dose is to get everyone to respond.
If you only get a single dose, you really don't know what position you are in, "he added.
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Doses of Pfizer-BioNTech should be given 21 days apart, the CDC says, while the second dose of Moderna is given 28 days after the first.
The second dose should not be given early.
If you're having trouble scheduling your second injection, it shouldn't be a problem for either vaccine to wait a few days - and maybe longer - after the deadline, the CDC says.
YES: keep wearing the mask and maintaining social distancing after vaccinating
New guide to protect yourself from covid-19 2:29
The CDC indicates that you should continue to wear a mask and practice social distancing after the first and second doses of the vaccine.
The first dose will not produce a sufficient immune response to protect you or others.
The second dose should give you about 95% protection within one to two weeks after you receive it, depending on the vaccine.
However, the CDC says that even after being fully vaccinated, you may still be a silent carrier of the coronavirus.
LEE: Should we use N95 masks instead of cloth masks?
Dr. Huerta explains what the science says
"We still don't know if getting the COVID-19 vaccine will prevent you from transmitting the virus that causes COVID-19 to other people," says the CDC.
Therefore, to protect others, continue to cover your nose and mouth with the mask, keep at least two meters away from others, avoid crowds and crowded and poorly ventilated spaces, and wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds.
CNN's Jacqueline Howard contributed to this report.