Irfan Hafiz, MD, infectious disease, answers some of the most commonly asked questions about the vaccine for COVID-19. Dr. Hafiz is chief medical officer at Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital, Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital and Northwestern Medicine Woodstock Hospital.

·      When will the COVID-19 vaccine be available to me?

·      How does mRNA work in a vaccine?

·      How do I know if the COVID-19 vaccine is right for my health condition?

·      Should a person who had COVID-19 still get the vaccine?

·      What symptoms can I expect to feel after my COVID-19 vaccination?

·      When will I reach my highest immunity to COVID-19 after I get the vaccine?

·      What are the long-term effects of COVID-19 infection?

·      How does herd immunity work, and can it happen naturally without the vaccine?

·      Can I still spread COVID-19 if I had it, or after I have the vaccine?

·      How is the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine different from the others that are currently on the market?

·      What do you predict for the rest of 2021, now that vaccines are being rolled out to the public?

·      When will the COVID-19 vaccine be available to children?