FAQ

Plus: Is it safe to go to a holiday party if not everyone is vaccinated? And are people getting different side effects from the COVID booster?

Vaccine and booster side effects can include fever, aches and fatigue. And this may be the first vaccine in history where people complain if they don't experience side effects, says one doctor.

One of the surprising aspects of the pandemic is that symptoms can linger months after infection. This syndrome has been called "long COVID," and it's had a profound impact on many people's lives.

Does a booster shot mean that you can return to your old normal? Or is there still a newish kind of normal to face?

Last winter the number of flu cases was pretty low — likely a result of COVID precautions people were taking. Does that mean we have fewer antibodies — and a greater risk of catching something now?

People are doing it. They're telling lies to get shots that have not been authorized. What are the medical, practical and ethical implications?

The CDC has reversed its position that vaccinated people no longer need masks and recommends masking up again in certain settings. Does that mean grocery stores? What about roller coasters?

Here's what we know about the effectiveness of vaccines for variants of concerns, notably the Delta variant, first identified in India and now responsible for 20% of new U.S. cases.

While natural infection does seem to provide some immunity, studies suggest that it is short term. Vaccination, on the other hand, provides more robust immunity.

Ages 12 and older are now eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19, the FDA and the CDC say. But when and where, and what about younger kids? You have questions. We have answers.

Let's say you are vaccinated. Do you have to tell everybody? Anybody? Is it legal (and ethical) not to share?

Some folks are taking their first vaccine dose in a two-dose regimen, then deciding to skip the second one altogether. Or maybe to delay it longer than suggested. Is this a bad idea?