COVID-19 Vaccines

• There is no question that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Millions of people in the U.S. have received shots.
• The technology used to develop the first two COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the U.S., from Moderna and Pfizer, is not new. It has been studied and used for decades in other medical research.
• It’s true that the COVID vaccines were developed more quickly than other vaccines in the past. But they have been carefully tested in clinical trials involving tens of thousands of people. There were no serious safety concerns. The test results were reviewed and approved by several independent panels of experts.
• All three vaccines have met the FDA’s rigorous, scientific standards for emergency use authorization to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Additionally, the Pfizer vaccine is officially FDA approved.

COVID-19 vaccine safety is a top priority for the state and federal government, and reports of health problems following COVID-19 vaccination are taken very seriously. Detecting these rare side effects tells us that the systems in place to monitor the safety of these vaccines are working. The reports of a rare, but serious side effect of blood clots with low platelets were detected early, and the pause reflected the state and federal government’s commitment to transparency and safety as CDC and FDA gathered and reviewed additional data. COVID-19 vaccines have undergone and will continue to undergo the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history.

Clinical trials have demonstrated that all COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States are effective at preventing COVID-19. Additionally, ongoing research provides growing evidence that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines offer similar protection in real world conditions.

➔ View details about what the research is telling us about the effectiveness of the COVID vaccines

• The COVID-19 vaccines were tested in clinical trials involving tens of thousands of volunteers of all races and ethnicities.
• In the trials, the vaccines protected adults of different races, ethnicities, and ages from the virus.

What people of color should know about the COVID-19 vaccines, by Sherita Golden, M.D., M.H.S., vice president and chief diversity officer at Johns Hopkins Medicine

Visit Join the Conversation to hear from doctors, nurses, and community health workers who identify as people of color.

EthnoMed at Harborview Medical Center has also compiled a directory of resources available in non-English languages.

➔ Protect Your Family – Get Vaccinated for COVID-19
➔ Proteja a su familia Vacúnese contra la COVID-19
➔ Ilaali Qoyskaaga Iska tallaal COVID-19
➔ ቤተሰብዎን ይጠብቁ የኮቪድ-19 ክትባትን ይውሰዱ
➔ 保护您的家人– 接种新冠19疫苗
➔ Bảo vệ Gia đình Quý vị Chủng ngừa COVID-19

Yes, if you have been exposed to COVID-19 or are experiencing symptoms. It is uncommon for fully vaccinated individuals to become sick with COVID-19 because the vaccines are highly effective. However, since none of the vaccines are 100% effective, a small proportion of vaccinated people may still become infected with COVID-19. As of April 2021, vaccine breakthrough has occurred in about 0.01 percent of Washington’s fully vaccinated population.

If you have been exposed to COVID-19 or are experiencing symptoms, find a COVID-19 Testing location near you.

A breakthrough case occurs when a fully vaccinated person becomes infected with the coronavirus. A fully vaccinated person who becomes infected may become ill and may spread the coronavirus to others.

The Delta variant is a strain that causes more infections and spreads faster than early forms of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19/coronavirus). The Delta variant is highly contagious, and some data suggest the it might cause more severe illness than previous strains in unvaccinated persons.

Getting vaccinated for COVID-19 is the best way to keep you, your loved ones, and our community safe.

➔ Visit the CDC to learn more about breakthroughs and variants
➔ Read this Yale Medicine article explaining why vaccination is the best way to prevent infection and transmission

No. You cannot get COVID-19 from the vaccine.

None of the authorized COVID-19 vaccines or vaccines currently in development in the U.S. contain the live virus that causes COVID. This means that a COVID-19 vaccine cannot make you sick with COVID-19.

After you get the COVID-19 vaccine, you may experience reactions that include tiredness, nausea, headache, sore muscles, chills, and fever. These may feel unpleasant, but they’re a sign that the vaccine is teaching your body how to protect itself against COVID-19. These symptoms should go away within a few days.

Learn more about possible side effects from the CDC ➜

You may have heard that the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen (J&J) vaccine was paused for 11 days in April 2021 due to reports of a rare, but serious side effect. According to the CDC, this side effect occurs at a rate of about 7 per 1 million vaccinated women between 18 and 49 years old, and this adverse event is even more rare for women 50 years and older and men of all ages. The CDC recommended that use of the J&J vaccine resume, effective April 23, 2021.

If you are unsure if COVID-19 vaccination is right for you, call your doctor, nurse, or clinic.

You can also find recommendations on the CDC’s website, for people with specific health or life conditions such as:

• Older adults
• People living in long-term care settings
• People with disabilities
• People with certain medical conditions
• People with substance use disorder

Youth ages 5-17 are eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine*

Getting youth vaccinated is vital for families and communities. Ensure that everyone in your family can stay healthy, remain in the classroom, safely spend time with friends, and take part in activities they enjoy.

Learn more about this important, no cost ($0) vaccine for children:

• To schedule an appointment – Visit the state online Vaccine Locator, which is being updated as child doses become available. Or reach out to your local clinic or pharmacist.
• For an overview of key information – Read COVID Vaccines for Kids – 3 Important Things to Know or listen to Dr. Paul Sherman: COVID Vaccines For Kids on 790 KGMI News Talk Radio, both by CHPW’s Chief Medical Officer.
• For details about the vaccine, safety, and more – See Vaccinating Youth by the WA Department of Health

Learn what local youth have to say about the vaccine ➜

*Note: When scheduling an appointment for a child, make sure the location you choose administers the appropriate vaccine for their age group. Parent or guardian consent is required.

• No, this is not possible. Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines like Pfizer’s and Moderna’s never enter the cell nucleus, where the DNA, your genetic material, lives.
• The vaccine is broken down quickly once it enters the cell and delivers the needed “message” to the cell’s machinery.
• Imagine the vaccine enters your body with an instruction manual. Your immune system memorizes the manual so it can fight COVID-19. It can’t change your DNA.

• Cost = $0. The federal government is covering the vaccine for free to all people living in the United States.
• You should not be charged any out-of-pocket costs. You should not get a bill from your provider, from the place where you got your shot, or from your insurer. If you receive a bill for a COVID vaccine, report it here.
• If a provider charges “administration fee” for giving you the vaccine, this fee will be charged to your health insurance plan, e.g., CHPW, or to the federal program which will pay the provider.

Yes! The CDC has a webpage with vaccine information that you can view in other languages. Just click on the “Languages” tab.

EthnoMed at Harborview Medical Center has also compiled a directory of resources available in non-English languages.

The National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants, and Migrants offers a COVID Translation Library.

➔ Protect Your Family – Get Vaccinated for COVID-19
➔ Proteja a su familia Vacúnese contra la COVID-19
➔ Ilaali Qoyskaaga Iska tallaal COVID-19
➔ ቤተሰብዎን ይጠብቁ የኮቪድ-19 ክትባትን ይውሰዱ
➔ 保护您的家人– 接种新冠19疫苗
➔ Bảo vệ Gia đình Quý vị Chủng ngừa COVID-19

No. A provider may ask for immigration/citizenship status, Social Security number, and/or government ID, but they are not required to receive the vaccine.

You and your family members can get the care you need without fear. Testing, treatment, and vaccination for coronavirus will not count against you in a test of public charge.

Learn more about COVID and immigration status from the Northwest Justice Project ➜

Learn more about the COVID vaccine and immigration status from the WA Department of Health ➜

The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has put into effect Special Requirements for Medicare Advantage Organizations, under 42 CFR 422.100(m)(1), as a result of the COVID-19 emergency to ensure access to benefits for CHPW Medicare Advantage members:

1. Cover Medicare Parts A and B services and supplemental Part C plan benefits furnished at non-contracted facilities subject to § 422.204(b)(3).
2. Waive, in full, requirements for gatekeeper referrals where applicable.
3. Provide the same cost-sharing for the enrollee as if the service or benefit had been furnished at a plan-contracted facility.
4. Make changes that benefit the enrollee effective immediately without the 30-day notification requirement at § 422.111(d)(3).