Good question, Margaret. There is a lot of confusing information out there. Some people with underlying conditions have reported side effects from the vaccines. However, the omicron variant of COVID is by far the bigger threat causing serious illness including breathing problems and cardiac issues.

From Mayo Clinic:
"The delta (B.1.617.2) variant is nearly twice as contagious as earlier variants and might cause more severe illness. The greatest risk of transmission is among unvaccinated people. People who are fully vaccinated can get vaccine breakthrough infections and spread the virus to others. However, it appears that vaccinated people spread COVID-19 for a shorter period than do unvaccinated people. While research suggests that COVID-19 vaccines are slightly less effective against the delta variant, the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Janssen/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines still appear to provide protection against severe COVID-19.

The omicron (B.1.1.529) variant spreads more easily than other variants, including delta. But it’s not yet clear if omicron causes more severe disease. It’s expected that people who are fully vaccinated likely can get breakthrough infections and spread the virus to others. However, the COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be effective at preventing severe illness. Early research also suggests that a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine improves protection against severe disease caused by omicron, according to Pfizer. This variant also might reduce the effectiveness of some monoclonal antibody treatments."

Read more guidance from Mayo Clinic here: https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/covid-variant-vaccine