JDX Pharmacy: Pharmacist explains how COVID-19 vaccine works in your body and more

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - "I haven’t decided yet if we’re going to wait a little bit longer to decide whether we take it or not. We’re older so we’re being cautious," said resident Vivian Yanet of Santa Maria.

We know the new vaccine, also called messenger RNA vaccine, is like no other.

"Messenger RNA vaccine stands for messenger nucleic acid vaccines. What that means is that it gives your body instructions on how to fight the vaccine," says pharmacist Sagar Asodia at JDX Pharmacy.

Asodia says the vaccine is not “live” like we've seen with other diseases.

"This means there’s no possible way you can get affected from COVID-19 by taking this vaccine. All this vaccine is giving your body is pretty much a blueprint on how to go and attack COVID-19," says Asodia.

Once the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, Asodia says he hopes everyone will take the time to get vaccinated.

"That way your body will have the instructions to fight off the virus in case you do get it. That way you will also protect everybody else around you," says Asodia.

If you’ve already had COVID-19, Asodia still recommends that you get vaccinated.

"So your body could have antibodies for a longer amount of time to fight off any kind of re-infection," says Asodia.

Asodia says there are potential side affects.

"You’ll likely get similar symptoms to a flu vaccine. You might get a little bit of a fever. You might get some muscle stiffness. But these are normal reactions," says Asodia.

"My hope is that this new vaccine is a home run and that it works," says Yanet.