Living through a pandemic is hard. Public health actions, such as staying 6 feet apart from other people, avoiding crowds, and avoiding poorly ventilated spaces, are necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19. But they can make you feel lonely, increasing your stress and anxiety. Stress can cause the following: Feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry, numbness, or frustration Changes in appetite, energy, desires, and interests Difficulty concentrating and making decisions Difficulty sleeping or nightmares Physical reactions, such as headaches, body pains, stomach problems, and skin rashes Worsening of chronic health problems Worsening of mental health conditions Increased use of tobacco, alcohol, and other substances It is natural to feel stress, anxiety, grief, and worry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Below are ways that you can help yourself, others, and your community manage stress. HEALTHY TIPS FOR COPING WITH STRESS Take a News Break It’s good to stay informed of what’s going on in your community and the world. But constantly hearing about the pandemic can cause you stress. Try to limit watching, reading, or listening to news stories to once a day Take a Physical Break Take a few minutes to unwind by doing activities you enjoy, such as listening to music or gardening. Take deep breaths and stretch to relieve stress and tension. Meditation can help you relax and calm down. It can also improve your mood. Meditation commonly involves: Getting into a comfortable position (such as sitting or lying down) in a quiet room or place where you won’t be distracted Focusing your attention, such as on a specially chosen word or set of words, an object, or the sensations of the breath Keeping an open attitude by letting distractions come and go naturally without judging them. Take Care of Your Health Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals. Don’t drink too much alcohol. Also avoid tobacco products and substance use. Substance use includes using illegal drugs and the improper or unhealthy use of a prescribed or over-the-counter medication. Make time to unwind for the day and get plenty of sleep Continue with routine preventive measures that your health care provider recommends, such as vaccinations and cancer screenings. Get a COVID-19 vaccine when it’s your turn. STAYING CONNECTED Being in a pandemic doesn’t mean you have to disconnect from people. There are ways for you to still safely connect with your community: You can connect online, through social media, or by phone or mail. It’s also safe to meet people outdoors while wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet apart from one another, and avoiding crowds. Get Interactive Talk often with friends and family whether through a phone call or a video chat app like FaceTime, WhatsApp, or Google Duo. You can find instructions on how to use these technologies on the Internet. Type "how to use ________" in an internet search engine like Google. Join an interactive online discussion group or book club. Or watch livestreams that are interesting to you that have live chats where you can talk directly…

Vaccine Safety Why should I get vaccinated for COVID-19? COVID-19 can cause serious illness or even death. There’s no way to know how COVID-19 will affect you. And if you get sick, you could spread the disease to friends, family, and others around you, putting their lives at risk. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine greatly reduces the risk that you’ll develop COVID- 19. The vaccines prevent nearly 100% of hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19. Are the COVID-19 vaccines safe? Yes. The COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States meet the FDA’s rigorous standards for safety and effectiveness. Tens of millions of people in the United States have received COVID-19 vaccines, and all COVID vaccines will continue to be monitored for safety. Serious health effects from vaccines are very rare. It’s highly unlikely that COVID-19 vaccines will cause long-term health problems. Also, there is no evidence at all that they will cause infertility or cancer. Your risk for serious health problems is much lower from the vaccine than your risk if you’re unvaccinated and get COVID-19. COVID-19 can leave you with heart and lung damage and other conditions that require long-term treatment. Vaccines are much safer paths to immunity than the disease itself. How can COVID-19 vaccines be safe since they were developed so fast? Safe COVID-19 vaccines were developed quickly through the use of a century of vaccine experience; technology that was new to vaccines but had been studied for two decades; a coronavirus vaccine already in development at the National Institutes of Health; and tens of thousands of volunteers for clinical trials that enabled rapid accumulation of data on safety and effectiveness. Simultaneous vaccine production and analysis of testing data also allowed vaccines to be shipped within days of FDA authorization. Will the shot hurt or make me sick? No. Some people might get sore muscles, feel tired, or have mild fever after getting the vaccine, but most people report only a sore arm where they got the shot. These reactions mean the vaccine is working to help teach your body how to fight COVID-19 if you are exposed. For most people, these side effects will go away on their own in a few days. If you have any concerns, call your doctor or nurse. Can the vaccine give me COVID-19? You can’t get COVID-19 from any of the COVID-19 vaccines in use or being tested in the United States because none of them contains the live virus that causes the disease. Is it safe for me to get a COVID-19 vaccine if I would like to have a baby one day? Yes. People who want to get pregnant in the future can receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Experts believe that COVID-19 vaccines are unlikely to pose a risk to a person trying to become pregnant in the short or long term. Are the COVID-19 vaccines safe for people who are pregnant? Yes. If you’re pregnant, you may choose to be vaccinated when it’s available to you. There’s currently no…