Preparing for a COVID-19 Vaccine

Knowledge builds confidence. As a health care professional, you were placed first in line to receive a COVID-19 vaccine because of your essential role in fighting this deadly pandemic, as well as your increased risk of getting COVID-19 and spreading it to your patients. Your decision to get vaccinated can protect more than just your health. It can also help protect your colleagues, patients, families, and communities.

It’s important that you have the information and tools to prepare you for combating this virus and slowing the spread. One of these tools is a COVID-19 vaccine.

This fact sheet will prepare you for what to expect before and after getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

Before the appointment

What to expect

You should receive a vaccination card or printout that tells you what COVID-19 vaccine you received, the date you received it, and where you received it.

You should receive a paper or electronic version of a fact sheet that tells you more about the specific COVID-19 vaccine you are being offered. The fact sheet contains information to help you understand the risks and benefits of receiving that specific vaccine.

You should be monitored on-site for at least 15 minutes for adverse reactions.

Different vaccines

Everyone 6 months or older can get either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine.

People 12 and older can also choose to get the Novavax vaccine.

The number of doses you need to stay up to date with your COVID vaccine depends on your age and which vaccine you get.

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Updated vaccines are available to help protect against Omicron.

Get an updated COVID vaccine now if you’re 18 or older and:

• You haven’t yet gotten a COVID vaccine.
• You’re vaccinated and your last dose was before September 2022.

People 65 and older can now get a second updated COVID vaccine beginning 4 months after their first.

People with a weakened immune system can get a second updated COVID vaccine beginning 2 months after their first. You can get more doses after that if your doctor recommends them.

If you recently had COVID, you can wait 3 months from when you got sick to get your updated COVID vaccine.

For vaccinated people 18 and older who haven’t gotten a booster or who can’t or won’t get an updated COVID vaccine, such as for health reasons: You can choose to get a Novavax booster 6 months after completing any of the primary vaccination series (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Novavax, or Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen) to help keep up your protection against COVID. However, unlike the updated vaccines, Novavax’s booster doesn’t target the Omicron variant.

Children should get an updated COVID vaccine now if they’re:

• 6–17 years and haven’t yet gotten any COVID vaccine doses.
• 12–17 years, got a Pfizer-BioNTech or Novavax vaccine, and their last dose was before September 2022.
• 6–17 years, got a Moderna vaccine, and their last dose was before October 2022.
• 5–11 years, got a Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and their last dose was before October 2022.
• 6 months – 5 years, got a Moderna vaccine, and their last dose was before December 2022.
• 6 months – 4 years, got a Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and their last dose was before December 2022.

Cost

There is no cost to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

After the appointment

Potential side effects

Vaccines work with your body’s natural defenses so your body will be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed. As a result, you may experience some side effects after getting the vaccine. These reactions mean the vaccine is working to help teach your body how to fight COVID-19 if you are exposed.

Possible side effects include soreness or swelling at the site of the injection, fever, chills, fatigue, and headache, but they should go away in a few days. There have been no trends of serious or long-term side effects. It’s important to remember that having these types of side effects does NOT mean that you have COVID-19. It’s very unlikely that a severe reaction will happen, but if it does, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Once you're up to date with your COVID vaccines

To maximize protection from highly contagious variants and prevent possibly spreading COVID to others, both vaccinated and unvaccinated people should wear a mask inside public places when the COVID risk to your community is high.

If you’re at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID, you can also protect yourself by:

• Keeping at least 6 feet away from people who don’t live with you.
• Avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces.
• Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if you don’t have soap and water.

Vaccinated and unvaccinated people must still follow state, local, tribal, and territorial laws, rules, and regulations. That includes public transportation, airport/airplane, local business, and workplace guidance. CDC recommends that everyone ages 2 and older wear a mask on public transportation and while in airports and stations.

People with compromised immune systems need extra doses of a COVID-19 vaccine

If any of the following apply to you, you may need additional vaccine doses:

• You have a moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency disorder, such as DiGeorge syndrome or Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.
• You have an advanced or untreated HIV infection.
• You’ve ever had an organ transplant or had a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years.
• You’re being treated with corticosteroids or other immunosuppressant medicines for such conditions as arthritis, asthma, or an autoimmune disease, such as lupus, sarcoidosis, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis.
• You’re being treated for cancer.

You should also continue to follow current COVID-19 prevention measures until your health care provider says it’s safe for you to stop:

• Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth around people you don’t live with and when inside public places.
• Stay at least 6 feet apart from people you don’t live with.
• Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol when soap and water aren’t available.

What if I have more questions?

If you have more questions about getting the vaccine, please visit the CDC website.