By May, everyone age 16+ in the United States should be eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine. That’s good news. That means we’re one step closer to putting this pandemic behind us and getting life back to normal.

You probably already know that there are currently three COVID-19 vaccines available. You could get the 2-dose vaccines developed by Pfizer or Moderna, or you could choose the one-dose vaccine created by Johnson & Johnson.

When you think about getting a vaccine, you might be thinking about the flu shot or taking your kids to get the required vaccines for school, like chicken pox or MMR. Our experience with vaccines is that afterwards, nothing really happens. By that we mean that we hardly ever notice any side effects. Maybe we’re a little bit more tired than usual, but we never actually feel sick from a vaccine.

If you know someone who has gotten the COVID-19 vaccine you probably know that side effects are a lot more common than with something like the flu shot. More than half of the people who get vaccinated experience the following side effects: pain at the injection site, fatigue, and headache. Other common side effects include muscle pain, joint pain and fever.

Don’t let the thought of potentially experiencing a lot of side effects scare you off from getting vaccinated. Not everyone experiences these side effects, but even if you do, it’s actually a good thing. Besides, these side effects would only last a day or two. That’s much better than actually getting COVID-19.

Vox created a video that clearly explains why we experience side effects from vaccines and how it is actually a good thing. Once you watch the video below, you will probably agree that side effects are nothing to be afraid of.

Did this video help you feel more confident about getting vaccinated? Have you already gotten the COVID-19 vaccine? If so, did you experience any side effects?