COVID-19 Vaccine Information

You can get a COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines, including a flu vaccine, at the same visit. Experience with other vaccines has shown that the way our bodies develop protection, known as an immune response, and possible side effects after getting vaccinated are generally the same when given alone or with other vaccines. Learn more about the timing of other vaccines.

Both the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccines use new mRNA technology, which does not use the live virus that causes COVID-19. While many vaccines put a weakened or inactivated germ into our bodies, mRNA teaches our cells how to make a protein—or even just a piece of a protein—that triggers an immune response inside our bodies. That immune response, which produces antibodies, is what protects us from getting infected if the real virus enters our bodies.

All of the vaccines are safe and effective at preventing serious illness, hospitalizations and death. Read below for more information on the effectiveness of each approved vaccine.>

Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine
The FDA has given emergency use authorization to the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Data has shown that the vaccine starts working soon after the first dose and has an efficacy rate of 95% seven days after the second dose. This means that about 95% of people who get the vaccine are protected from becoming seriously ill with the virus. This vaccine is for people age 12 and older. It requires two injections given 21 days apart.

Moderna vaccine
The FDA has given emergency use authorization to the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Data has shown that the vaccine has an efficacy rate of 94.1%. This vaccine is for people age 18 and older. This vaccine requires two injections given 28 days apart.

Both the Pfizer/BioNTech and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines use messenger RNA (mRNA). Coronaviruses have a spike-like structure on their surface called an S protein. COVID-19 mRNA vaccines give cells instructions for how to make a harmless piece of an S protein. After vaccination, cells begin making the protein pieces and displaying them on cell surfaces. Your immune system will recognize that the protein doesn't belong there and begin building an immune response and making antibodies.

Johnson & Johnson vaccine

The US FDA has given emergency use authorization to Janssen Biotech (Johnson and Johnson) for its investigational single-dose Janssen COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The current vaccine has a 72% efficacy rate against the US strain of COVID-19. 

After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration recommended a pause on administering this vaccine, further investigation proved the vaccine continues to be a safe, effective way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. The CDC and FDA have determined that the benefits of this vaccine significantly outweigh the risk of developing rare blood clots.

COVID-19 can cause severe medical complications and lead to death in some people. There is no way to know how COVID-19 will affect you. If you get COVID-19, you could spread the disease to family, friends and others around you.

Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can help protect you by creating an antibody response in your body without your having to become sick with COVID-19.

A COVID-19 vaccine might prevent you from getting COVID-19. Or, if you get COVID-19, the vaccine might keep you from becoming seriously ill or from developing serious complications.

Getting vaccinated also might help protect people around you from COVID-19, particularly people at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

Like with any vaccine, you may experience some side effects – that’s a sign that the vaccine is working. Plan for a day of rest after each dose if possible. Some trial participants see tenderness, achiness and mild fever. Staff will monitor you for 15 minutes after getting a COVID-19 vaccine to see if you have an immediate reaction. Most reactions happen with the first few days after vaccination and last no more than three days.

Medicines such as acetaminophen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be taken after vaccination if medically appropriate and symptoms appear. Taking these medications before vaccination has been shown to reduce effectiveness of other vaccines, and its impact on the effectiveness of COVID vaccine has not yet been determined. We are discouraging prophylactic use but encouraging use once side effects begin to show. It is OK to start once the side effects like myalgias, fevers, etc. begin to appear.

No. The COVID-19 vaccines currently being developed in the U.S. don't use the live virus that causes COVID-19.

Keep in mind that it will take a few weeks for your body to build immunity after getting a COVID-19 vaccination. It is possible that you could become infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 as a result, just before or after being vaccinated.

Given the currently limited information on how much the vaccine may reduce transmission in the general population and how long protection lasts, vaccinated persons should continue to follow all current guidance to protect themselves and others. This includes wearing a mask in public, staying at least 6 feet away from others, avoiding crowds, washing hands often, following CDC travel guidance, following quarantine guidance after an exposure to someone with COVID-19, and following any applicable workplace or school guidance, including guidance related to personal protective equipment use or COVID-19 testing.

Your vaccination records are available 24/7 via MyCarle. The MyCarle web-page or app, both have quick access to COVID-19 health information including immunization records and test results. You may also request through Carle Health Information Management.

You should store your vaccine card in a safe place. It’s always available to you via MyCarle. To reduce the risk of fraudulent usage or reproduction, Carle will not reprint a vaccine card.

We exist to be a trusted healthcare partner for our communities, and maintaining a safe environment is key. Requiring the vaccine for staff is the best way for us to care for our patients and those around us during the evolving pandemic and beyond.

People with moderately to severely compromised immune systems are especially vulnerable to COVID-19, and may not build the same level of immunity to two-dose vaccine series compared to people who are not immunocompromised. The CDC recommends that people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems receive an additional dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine at least 28 days after a second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccineor Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine. This additional dose is intended to improve immunocompromised people’s response to their initial vaccine series

Currently, CDC is recommending that moderately to severely immunocompromised people receive an additional dose. This includes people who have:  

• Active treatment for solid tumor and hematologic malignancies
• Receipt of solid-organ transplant and taking immunosuppressive therapy
• Receipt of CAR-T-cell or hematopoietic stem cell transplant (within 2 years of transplantation or taking immunosuppression therapy)
• Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (e.g., DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
• Advanced or untreated HIV infection
• Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids (i.e., ≥20mg prednisone or equivalent per day), alkylating agents, antimetabolites, transplant-related immunosuppressive drugs, cancer chemotherapeutic agents classified as severely immunosuppressive, tumor-necrosis (TNF) blockers, and other biologic agents that are immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory.

It begins in a lab with scientific observations and evaluation of what vaccine will work well. If approved for human clinical trials, phase one means a small group of adult volunteers receive the vaccine trial, phase two is for a group of volunteers who receive the new vaccine and phase three is to determine safety and efficacy in a larger number of volunteers. It takes months for each phase. These phases happened simultaneously and under emergency utilization authorization, the approval, not the study, was expedited.

The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) establish committees to review the scientific data and make recommendations on a vaccine candidate’s safety, efficacy and distribution. The FDA holds the studies for COVID-19 to the same standard as every other vaccine.

No. Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) issued by the government allows the process to move faster and COVID-19 assessments began with larger control groups of 30,000.

Lab testing processes of various vaccines ran simultaneously rather than sequentially with control groups. Scientists and vaccine manufacturers around the world have a solid understanding of how to rapidly manufacture a vaccine for infectious agents that stimulate a strong immune response. The flu vaccine is a good example of this process.

With the pandemic, there was a strong focus across the world on deploying extra resources in terms of research, manufacturing and clinical testing teams in companies and research labs. There were many eyes on the development of the vaccine.

Carle encourages everyone to schedule their vaccination as soon as possible to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.

Experts believe that those who have had a COVID-19 infection are most likely immune for the 90 days after their symptoms began or they had a positive test, whichever comes first.

Experts are uncertain of how long natural immunity lasts in someone who has had COVID-19. A person who has COVID-19 now should wait to get vaccinated until that individual has recovered and criteria have been met to discontinue isolation. While there is otherwise no recommended minimum interval between infection and vaccination, current evidence suggests that reinfection is uncommon in the 90 days after initial infection. Thus, those with documented COVID-19 infection in the previous 90 days may delay vaccination until near the end of this period, if desired.

Currently, there is no data on the safety and efficacy of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination in people who received monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma as part of COVID-19 treatment. Based on the estimated half-life of such therapies as well as evidence suggesting that reinfection is uncommon in the 90 days after infection, in this instance, vaccination should be deferred for at least 90 days, as a precautionary measure until more information becomes available, to avoid interference of the antibody treatment with vaccine-induced immune responses.

Based on current knowledge, experts believe that mRNA vaccines are unlikely to pose a risk for people who are pregnant. Observational data demonstrates that while the absolute risk is low, pregnant people with COVID-19 have an increased risk of severe illness. Additionally, they might be at an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm birth due to COVID-19. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends the vaccine. Patients who are pregnant should talk with their provider with questions.

There are no data on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in lactating people or the effects of mRNA vaccines on the breastfed infant or milk production/excretion. mRNA vaccines are not thought to be a risk to the breastfeeding infant. A lactating person who is part of a group recommended to receive a COVID-19 vaccine (e.g., healthcare personnel) may choose to be vaccinated. As always, if you have questions, talk to your healthcare provider.

There is no recommendation for routine pregnancy testing before receipt of a COVID-19 vaccine. Those who are trying to become pregnant do not need to avoid pregnancy after Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination.

Both approved COVID-19 vaccines may be administered to persons with underlying medical conditions who have no allergic reactions to the ingredients of the vaccination. Staff will observe patients for 15 minutes following vaccination.

The only adverse side effect is a history of severe allergic reaction (e.g., anaphylaxis) to any component of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. Those with a history of anaphylaxis to other vaccines or other injectable medicines should have a risk assessment and potentially defer the vaccine. If it is given, the patient should be observed for 30 minutes.

Immunocompromised individuals may still receive COVID-19 vaccination if they have no contraindications to vaccination. However, they should be counseled about the unknown vaccine safety profile and effectiveness in immunocompromised populations, as well as the potential for reduced immune responses and the need to continue to follow all current guidance to protect themselves against COVID-19.

Persons with HIV infection, other immunocompromising conditions, or who take immunosuppressive medications or therapies might be at increased risk for severe COVID-19. Data are not currently available to establish vaccine safety and efficacy in these groups. Persons with stable HIV infection were included in phase 2/3 clinical trials, though data specific to this group are not yet available.

Individuals who are immunocompromised should talk to their doctor with questions. After vaccination, immunocompromised patients will be observed for 30 minutes.

The federal government will cover the cost of the vaccine at this time. Most insurance plans are mandated by Federal law to cover the cost to deliver the vaccine without applying out-of-pocket responsibility to you. There are no out-of-pocket costs to receive the vaccine.

Carle does charge for the administration of the vaccine, which will be billed to your insurer. You may see this charge on your Explanation of Benefits sent by your insurer, or in your MyCarle account. These are not bills from Carle asking you to pay. If you do receive a bill from Carle requesting you to pay and you believe you have been billed in error, please call Carle Patient Financial Services at (888) 71-CARLE or (888) 712-2753.

The federal government will cover the cost of vaccine for those who are uninsured. If you have more questions about your healthcare costs or a Carle bill contact Carle Patient Financial Services at (888) 71-CARLE, (888) 712-2753.

At the Carle vaccine clinics, we will take down your insurance information (similar to processes at COVID-19 testing sites). If you have health insurance, there is a charge to deliver the vaccine, which will be billed to your insurer. You may see this charge on your Explanation of Benefits sent by your insurer, or in your MyCarle account. These are not bills from Carle asking you to pay. If you do receive a bill from Carle requesting you to pay and you believe you have been billed in error, please call Carle Patient Financial Services at (888) 71-CARLE or (888) 712-2753. If you don’t have insurance, you won’t get a bill.