Vaccines FAQ

No, as long as BOTH of the following are true:

1. It has been at least 2 weeks but not more than 3 months since your second dose.
2. You have not had any symptoms of COVID-19 in the 2 weeks since the exposure.
3. If you do not meet both criteria, please follow standard quarantine guidance

People are considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19: two weeks or more after they have received the second dose in a 2-dose series (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna), or two weeks or more after they have received a single-dose vaccine (Johnson and Johnson [J&J]/Janssen).

Please wait until your quarantine period is over before getting vaccinated. This helps reduce the risk of potentially spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 to others during the vaccination visit. Please continue to follow all COVID-19 safety measures and quarantine guidance.

The CDC does not recommend taking medications that treat fever and pain, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, before your vaccine to prevent side effects. These medicines might affect how well your body’s immune system responds to the vaccine. If you take these medications regularly for another health condition, talk to your healthcare provider before skipping any doses.

You can ask your healthcare provider about whether you can take these medications after vaccination for symptoms such as fever or arm pain. To soothe arm pain, the CDC also recommends applying a clean, cool, wet washcloth over the area where you feel discomfort and exercising your arm. If you experience fever, drink plenty of fluids and keep your body cool.

If you have COVID-19 or tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, you should wait to get your second dose until your symptoms have resolved (if you have symptoms) AND until you have finished your isolation period. Sometimes this will require rescheduling your second dose, but there is no need to retake the first dose.

• Reduce number of people with COVID-19
• Reduce severity of illness
• Reduce hospitalizations
• Reduce deaths

There are three COVID-19 vaccines currently available, from the following manufacturers: Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), Moderna, and Pfizer. All three vaccines are high efficacy against preventing COVID-19–associated hospitalization and death. 

Being vaccinated against COVID-19 helps the body develop a memory response to fight off the virus that causes COVID-19, without having to get the illness. COVID-19 vaccines also decrease the likelihood of severe illness or death if infection does occur. For more information, see Understanding How COVID-19 Vaccines Work (CDC).

The vaccines manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna are mRNA vaccines. mRNA vaccines contain material from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, which gives our cells instructions for how to make a harmless protein that is unique to the virus. After our cells make copies of the protein, they destroy the genetic material from the vaccine. Our bodies recognize that the protein should not be there and build T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes (white blood cells) that will remember how to fight the virus that causes COVID-19 if we are infected in the future.

mRNA vaccines do not contain a live virus and do not carry a risk of causing disease in the vaccinated person. mRNA from the vaccine never enters the nucleus of the cell and does not affect or interact with a person’s DNA. For more information on mRNA vaccines, see Understanding and Explaining mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines (CDC).

The COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) is a viral vector vaccine. Viral vector vaccines use a modified version of a different virus (the vector) to deliver important instructions to our cells. For COVID-19 viral vector vaccines, the vector (not the virus that causes COVID-19, but a different, harmless virus) will enter a cell in our body and then use the cell’s machinery to produce a harmless piece of the virus that causes COVID-19. This piece is known as a spike protein and it is only found on the surface of the virus that causes COVID-19.

The cell displays the spike protein on its surface, and our immune system recognizes it doesn’t belong there. This triggers our immune system to begin producing antibodies and activating other immune cells to fight off what it thinks is an infection. At the end of the process, our bodies have learned how to protect us against future infection with the virus that causes COVID-19. For more information, see Understanding Viral Vector COVID-19 Vaccines.

• birth year (not reported for people over 80 years old)
• sex
• the county where the vaccine is administered.

• V-safe app from the CDC is a smartphone-based, after-vaccination health checker for people who have received the COVID-19 vaccine. V-safe uses text messaging and surveys to check in with COVID-19 vaccine recipients after vaccination. Simply put, anyone with symptoms enters their information into V-Safe so that researchers can continue to study the safety of the vaccine on all populations.
• The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is a national system used by the CDC and the FDA. This system collects reports from healthcare professionals, vaccine manufacturers, and the public regarding any adverse events that may happen after vaccination.
• National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) is an acute and long-term facility monitoring system that reports to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS).
• Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) is a network of nine healthcare organizations from across the US that conduct active surveillance and research. This system is used to aid in determining if possible side effects identified in the VAERS are actually related to the vaccine.
• Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment (CISA) Project is a collaboration between seven medical research institutions and the CDC. CISA provides consultation on a case by case basis, and conducts research about vaccine safety.

• V-safe app from the CDC is a smartphone-based, after-vaccination health checker for people who have received the COVID-19 vaccine. V-safe uses text messaging and surveys to check in with COVID-19 vaccine recipients after vaccination. Simply put, anyone with symptoms enters their information into V-Safe so that researchers can continue to study the safety of the vaccine on all populations.
• The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is a national system used by the CDC and the FDA. This system collects reports from healthcare professionals, vaccine manufacturers, and the public regarding any adverse events that may happen after vaccination.
• National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) is an acute and long-term facility monitoring system that reports to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS).
• Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) is a network of nine healthcare organizations from across the US that conduct active surveillance and research. This system is used to aid in determining if possible side effects identified in the VAERS are actually related to the vaccine.
• Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment (CISA) Project is a collaboration between seven medical research institutions and the CDC. CISA provides consultation on a case by case basis, and conducts research about vaccine safety.

The main purpose of vaccines is to prevent severe illness and death. The FDA- and WHO-authorized vaccines are extremely effective at preventing hospitalization and death from COVID-19. No vaccines are 100% effective at preventing infection. Although infections may happen after vaccination, most are mild, and reported cases among vaccinated people remain uncommon.

For California data, please visit Post-Vaccine COVID-19 Cases. For national data, please visit COVID-19 Vaccine Breakthrough Case Investigation and Reporting.

Pfizer/BioNTech  

• 46,331 enrolled  

• 153 clinical sites in 39 United States  
• Racial/ethnic distribution:  

• 70% White  
• 13% Hispanic/Latino (>5.5k)  
• 10% African American/Black (>4k)  

• 6% Asian  
• 1% Native American  

• Age distribution:  

• 45% ages 56-85  

Moderna 

• 30,000 enrolled  
• 89 clinical sites in 32 United States  
• Racial/ethnic distribution: 

• 63% White  
• 20% Hispanic/Latino (6k)  

• 10% African American/Black (3k)  
• 4% Asian  
• 3% All others  

• Age distribution: 

• 39% ages 45-64  

• 25% ages 65+  

Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) 

• 43,783 enrolled 
• Racial/ethnic distribution: 

• 74% White 

• 15% Hispanic/Latino, 
• 13% Black/African American 
• 6% Asian 
• 1% American Indian/Alaska Native 

• Age distribution: 

• 66% ages 18-59 
• 34% ages 60+ 

The Alameda County COVID-19 Vaccine Values & Principles:

1. Provide transparent and accurate information to help people make vaccine decisions
2. Lead with equity and data (Race/Ethnicity, Geography, Socioeconomic factors, Critical populations) 
3. Ensure safe and equitable distribution 
4. Leverage all venues and partners for broad distribution (Hospitals, Clinics, Private practice, Pharmacies, Community based Points of Distribution (PODs))

If you would like to volunteer in a medical or non-medical role at one of the County’s vaccination sites, you must register online.

Non-medical volunteers: Please register with the California Health Corps here. Under Organization select “Alameda County Unit”. Under "Occupation" select "Non-Medical". You will be asked to submit to a brief background check.

Medical volunteers: Please complete both of the following registration forms.

Register with the California Health Corps here and be sure to sign up for the “Alameda County Unit.”

Sign up with Alameda Count through this electronic form. You will be asked to submit to a brief background check.

At this time, we are fortunate to have a large number of volunteer offers which may cause delays in our vetting system and background check process. We will process these as quickly as possible in anticipation of needing additional volunteers in the coming months as our vaccine allocation from the state increases. Thank you for your patience as this process ramps up.

In the coming months, we anticipate a need for vaccinators and logistical and administrative support. Dates and locations are not determined yet, but we do expect that one shift could be 8-12 hours long. There is no pay for volunteering. Modest meals will be provided, and volunteers could potentially receive the vaccine.

Thank you for your patience at this time. More information about volunteering can be found here.

• Which vaccines are approved for use in United States (FDA)
• How much vaccine will be allocated to each state (CDC)
• Overall framework for who gets vaccine at each phase of the rollout (CDC)
• Initial Framework: A Phased Approach for COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation (National Academy of Medicine)
• Ongoing research, monitoring, and oversight (NIH, FDA, CDC)

• Which vaccine(s) will be used in CA
• How much vaccine will be allocated to each local health jurisdiction/county
• State-specific framework for who will get vaccine when (per federal guidelines)
• Which data systems will be used across the state to monitor vaccine distribution and uptake
• Ongoing data collection, monitoring and oversight

• Coordinate local infrastructure for vaccine storage, distribution, & administration
• Promote equitable distribution across local communities
• Develop County-specific framework for who gets vaccine when (per state guidelines)
• Conduct ongoing data reporting and monitoring

No. There is no requirement from the local, state, or federal government to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Getting vaccinated is a voluntary decision, so we strive to share the best available information to help people make the right choice for themselves.

No. It is a moral and public health imperative to ensure that all individuals residing in the United States have access to the vaccine. Alameda County and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) encourage all individuals, regardless of immigration status, to receive the COVID-19 vaccine once eligible under local distribution guidelines. For more information, please see DHS Statement on Equal Access to COVID-19 Vaccines and Vaccine Distribution Sites.

There is no cost associated with getting vaccinated against COVID-19— regardless of insurance, immigration status, or vaccine phase.

• Photo Identification (ID). Your photo ID does not have to be government issued.
• Appointment Confirmation. If you have an appointment, print the confirmation, or provide it on your phone.
• Mask. Please remember to wear a mask and practice social distancing.

Yes. Vaccinating as many people as possible is expected to reduce viral reproduction and limit opportunities for the virus to evolve variants of concern in our communities.

Please continue to follow the prevention guidelines you’ve heard about since the pandemic started:  

• Wear a face covering
• Keep at least six feet of distance from anyone you don’t live with
• Wash your hands oftenStay home if sick
• Avoid gatherings

If you received your first dose of the vaccine before Monday, 1/11/21:
You do not need to make an appointment to receive your second dose. Return to the location where you received your first dose on the date listed on your vaccination card.

If you received your first dose of the vaccine on or after Monday, 1/11/21:
Individuals who receive a first dose at an Alameda County Point of Dispensing (POD) site on, or after Monday, 1/11/21, will have the opportunity to make their second dose appointment onsite. After receiving their first dose, individuals will receive a QR code to scan with a smartphone, to access the online system to schedule their second dose appointment (the same way they scheduled first dose).

Those who cannot access the QR code that day will receive an email reminder to schedule the appointment for their second dose. The email will come from: no-reply@multistatep4p.com

If an individual was informed their provider will reach out and they have not heard back, they should follow up with their provider and/or the process they used to get the first dose.

Everyone who received a first dose through a County POD, will receive their second dose from a County POD. Medical providers who receive vaccine directly from Alameda County (versus the State) are also equipped with enough doses to administer to individuals they provided a first vaccination.  

The data provided to us is posted on our vaccine dashboard: https://covid-19.acgov.org/data.

CDC second dose administration guidance is here: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/clinical-considerations.html#Administration. 

There are three vaccines that are currently being administered in Alameda County. The vaccinator will provide you with information about which vaccine you are receiving and, depending on which vaccine you receive, when to get your second dose.

• The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine consists of two doses given 21 days apart.
• The Moderna vaccine consists of two doses given 28 days apart.
• The Johnson & Johnson vaccine consists of one dose.

According to the CDC, there should be 21 days between the first and second doses of Pfizer vaccine, and 28 days between the first and second doses of the Moderna vaccine. If it is not possible to receive the second dose of vaccine on time, the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines may be administered for up to 6 weeks (42 days) after the first dose.
 

Under most circumstances, the different vaccines should not be mixed. For example, you should not receive your first dose with the Pfizer vaccine and get your second dose with Moderna or Johnson & Johnson. Your healthcare provider or someone at the vaccine clinic will let you know if you need to get a different vaccine as your second dose. If you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you do NOT need a second dose.

If you got the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine as your first dose, please bring your COVID-19 vaccination record card with you to your second vaccination appointment. It is recommended that you make a backup copy of your COVID-19 vaccination record card, such as taking a picture of your vaccination card with your phone.   

Additionally, your first vaccine dose is recorded in the California Immunization Registry (CAIR). Therefore, at your second dosing appointment you can ask your vaccine administrator pull up your information on CAIR to ensure vaccine mixing does not occur.

When you receive a COVID-19 vaccine, your vaccine provider issues you an original Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) Vaccination Record Card that contains information about your vaccine. 

Showing Proof of Full Vaccination Status in California:   English | Arabic | Chinese (Simplified) | Chinese (Traditional) | Farsi | Khmer | Korean | Spanish | Tagalog | Vietnamese

It depends. Read CDPH’s visual summary of masking rules to understand when you need to wear your mask.

When you’re out in public, everyone must wear a mask indoors (unless you’re eating or drinking), masks must be worn when on public transportation and in indoor and outdoor crowded places such as concerts and fairs. If you can maintain physical distance from others, you may go unmasked outdoors. 

If you’re fully vaccinated indoors at home, you may go unmasked if everyone is fully vaccinated.  

Until we get enough people vaccinated to protect our entire community, it is critical that everyone in public settings—even those who have been vaccinated—continue to wear masks and follow other COVID-19 prevention guidance. Please see the CDPH Guidance for the Use of Face Coverings for detailed guidance on the use of face coverings.

If you have symptoms or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 you should get tested. This is true even after being vaccinated. Tests for COVID-19 work the same in vaccinated people as they do in unvaccinated people.

Yes. Since it's still possible to become ill with the virus until you are fully vaccinated, please continue to follow the prevention guidelines you’ve heard about since the pandemic started, and please remember to get your second dose:

1. Wear a face covering when you are with people you don't live with
2. Keep at least six feet of distance from anyone you don’t live with
3. Wash your hands often
4. Stay home if you are sick
5. Avoid gatherings with people you don't live with

No. Neither the recently authorized and recommended vaccines nor the other COVID-19 vaccines currently in clinical trials in the United States can cause you to test positive on viral tests, which are used to see if you have a current infection.​

If your body develops an immune response—the goal of vaccination—there is a possibility you may test positive on some antibody tests. Antibody tests indicate you had a previous infection and that you may have some level of protection against the virus. Experts are currently looking at how COVID-19 vaccination may affect antibody testing results.

No. COVID-19 vaccines do not interact with or change your DNA in any way.

Messenger RNA vaccines—also called mRNA vaccines—are the first COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the United States. mRNA vaccines teach our cells how to make a protein that triggers an immune response. The mRNA from a COVID-19 vaccine never enters the nucleus of the cell, which is where our DNA is kept. This means the mRNA cannot affect or interact with our DNA in any way. Instead, COVID-19 mRNA vaccines work with the body’s natural defenses to safely develop immunity to disease. Learn more about how COVID-19 mRNA vaccines work. ​

At the end of the process, our bodies have learned how to protect against future infection. That immune response and making antibodies is what protects us from getting infected if the real virus enters our bodies.

• Vaccination prevents severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19.
• COVID-19 is likely to be with us for a long time. Most people who are not vaccinated are at very high risk of gettingCOVID-19, and the risk will only increase as indoor activities re-open. This may lead to another wave of COVID-19 in fall or winter. Youth who are vaccinated now should be protected if this occurs.
• The virus continues to change and new variants are circulating. We don’t yet know how emerging viral variants might affect children. The Pfizer vaccine works well against viral variants.
• Vaccinating as many eligible people as possible, including children, is the key to ending the pandemic.
• Youth who are fully vaccinated do not need to quarantine after exposure to COVID-19 per CDPH guidance for fully vaccinated people. Youth who receive the Pfizer vaccine are considered “fully vaccinated” two weeks or more after they received their second dose of Pfizer. Fully vaccinated youth who are exposed to COVID-19 will not have to miss up to 14 days of athletics, arts, academic, or other school-related programs.
• Fully vaccinated children and youth can socialize, return to school, and travel more easily than those who are not fully vaccinated. What’s more, youth who are fully vaccinated can socialize unmasked indoors or outdoors with their other fully vaccinated friends.

• Two weeks after vaccination, the vaccine will protect 12 to 15 year-olds from being hospitalized if infected and it will prevent death from COVID-19.
• Just like adults, youth will be fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving their second dose. Youth who receive the Pfizer vaccine are considered “fully vaccinated” two weeks or more after they received their second dose of Pfizer.
• Fully vaccinated individuals should follow the CDPH guidance for fully vaccinated people and the one-page flyer “When Do You Need Your Mask” in English and Spanish. Until we get enough people vaccinated to protect our entire community, wear a mask if you don’t know the vaccination status of those around you, especially in outdoor or indoor crowded settings.
• People who are fully vaccinated don’t have to quarantine if they know they’ve been exposed to someone who has COVID-19.
• Until further guidance from the state, fully vaccinated students who attend school in-person will wear masks. We anticipate this guidance to evolve over the summer. 

Yes. Just like the way adults and 12-year-olds take the same dose of ibuprofen (Advil) and acetaminophen (Tylenol), adults and youth 12 to 15 receive the same dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.  

The amount of vaccine in each injection is the same, and everyone needs a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine three weeks after the first dose.

Yes! COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines can be given at or around the same time. If your child has missed recent vaccinations due to the pandemic, now is a great time to get caught up.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of the Pfizer vaccine for 12 to 15 year-olds. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) vaccine safety review panel and the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup also concluded that the vaccine is safe and effective in protecting this age group against severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Clinical trials showed that it is safe and effective for this age group, with only side effects like fatigue and headache.

Currently, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is the only vaccine authorized for youth 12 to17 years old. The Moderna vaccine and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are authorized only for those 18 years and older.

There have been cases of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the sac around the heart) among youth after getting an mRNA vaccine. These have been mostly in male teens and young adults age 16 years or older within a few days of getting the second dose of vaccine. Most of the youth who received care responded well to medicine and rest and quickly felt better. CDC and its partners are actively monitoring reports of myocarditis and pericarditis, by reviewing data and medical records, to learn more. Safety monitoring systems are in place to collect information if more cases are detected. People can also get myocarditis and pericarditis with COVID-19 infection.

Youth should seek medical attention right away if they have any of the following symptoms after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine:

• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Feelings of having a fast-beating, fluttering, or pounding heart.

The CDC, the American Heart Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and others still recommend that anyone 12 and over get vaccinated as the benefits far outweigh the risks.

Enroll in the V-safe app from CDC. Anyone 16 and over can enroll themselves. V-safe is a smartphone-based, after-vaccination health checker for people who have received the COVID-19 vaccine. V-safe uses text messaging and surveys to check in with COVID-19 vaccine recipients after vaccination. Simply put, anyone with symptoms enters their information into V-safe so that researchers can continue to study the safety of the vaccine on all populations.

While the virus that causes COVID-19 has only been found in humans since late 2019, scientists around the world have been studying coronaviruses for many years. The first SARS-CoV was discovered in 2003 and the coronavirus that causes MERS was first seen in 2012. Research on vaccines for these viruses has been in progress since 2007. Information from past coronavirus research helped scientists develop the COVID-19 vaccines.

The process for developing and authorizing vaccines is well established. No steps were skipped in developing the COVID-19 vaccines. However, some of the steps were performed at the same time, thus speeding up the process.

No. COVID-19 vaccines do not interact with or change your DNA in any way.

The vaccine manufactured by Pfizer is an mRNA vaccine. mRNA vaccines do not contain a live virus and do not carry the risk of causing an infection in the vaccinated person. mRNA from the vaccine never enters the nucleus of the cell and does not affect or interact with a person’s DNA.

Some people have experienced side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine, like temporary pain or swelling on the arm where they got the shot, fever, chills, tiredness, and/or headache. These side effects are common after vaccination and should be expected as the body builds cells to defend against COVID-19. The side effects usually start within a day or two of getting the vaccine and should go away in a few days. If someone is concerned about side effects or has questions, they can contact their healthcare provider. 

There is evidence that some adolescents who receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine could experience fainting. Vaccination sites should have procedures in place to avoid injury from fainting. 

As with any vaccine, there is a slight chance for a severe allergic reaction. All vaccination sites have medical professionals ready to treat severe allergic reaction.  

There have been cases of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the sac around the heart) among youth after getting an mRNA vaccine. These have been mostly in male teens and young adults age 16 years or older within a few days of getting the second dose of vaccine. Most of the youth who received care responded well to medicine and rest and quickly felt better. CDC and its partners are actively monitoring these reports, by reviewing data and medical records, to learn more about what happened and to see if there is any relationship to COVID-19 vaccination. Safety monitoring systems are in place to collect information if more cases are detected. People can also get myocarditis and pericarditis with COVID-19 infection. 

Youth should seek medical attention right away if they have any of the following symptoms after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine:  

• Chest pain 
• Shortness of breath 
• Feelings of having a fast-beating, fluttering, or pounding heart.

The CDC, the American Heart Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and others still recommend that anyone 12 and over get vaccinated as the benefits far outweigh the risks.  

Some people who menstruate have noticed changes in their menstrual cycle around the time they got their COVID-19 vaccine. However, people can experience health issues following vaccination that would have happened even if they did not get vaccinated. There is currently no research suggesting that that any of the COVID-19 vaccines affect menses or the onset of puberty. However, both stress and illness can cause irregular menstrual cycles, and in the first few years after people get their periods, it’s not uncommon for their cycles to be irregular. Using an additional method of birth control may be important for some after vaccination.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Pediatrics, there is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines can affect the ability to get pregnant. While fertility was not specifically studied in the clinical trials of the vaccine, no loss of fertility has been reported among trial participants or among the millions who have received the vaccines since their authorization. In addition, no signs of infertility appeared in animal studies.

Clinical trials of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine were found to be safe and effective in protecting against severe illness, hospitalization, and death in those aged 12 to15.  

The last phase of Pfizer’s clinical trials enrolled 2,260 youth 12 to 15 years of age in the United States. None of the youth who received the vaccine developed symptoms of COVID-19.

Pfizer Clinical Trial Participant Summary, Youth 12-15  

• 2,260 enrolled, all based in the United States.
• Sex distribution:
• 49% Female
• 51% Male
• Racial/ethnic distribution:  
• 86% White
• 12% Hispanic or Latino
• 6% Asian
• 5% Black or African American
• <1% American Indian or Alaska Native
• <1 % Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, no participants in the Placebo

The vaccine will help protect you from getting COVID-19. However, some side effects are common. They are normal signs that your body is building protection against the virus.

After getting the vaccine, your arm may hurt, look a little red, or swell. Other common side effects include feeling tired, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, and/or nausea. These side effects can be unpleasant, but generally go away after a few days. Some people have no side effects at all.

Talk to your doctor about taking over-the-counter medication, like Ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin, or antihistamines for any pain and discomfort you may experience after vaccination. You can take these over-the-counter medications after vaccination to relieve post-vaccination side effects if you have no medical reasons not to take them. We recommended you ask your doctor if it’s safe for you to take these over-the-counter medications after vaccination to reduce your symptoms. We do not recommend taking these medications before vaccination.

You can also relieve pain and discomfort where you got the shot by applying a clean, cool, wet washcloth over the area and by using or exercising your arm. To reduce discomfort from fever, drink plenty of fluids and dress lightly.

These infographics were created by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Review the CDC’s description of possible side effects and how to relieve them.

Currently, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine (also known as the Janssen vaccine) is the only available COVID-19 vaccine that requires just one shot.

For some people, getting a one-shot vaccine like Johnson & Johnson may be easier. This may be true if your mobility is limited and/or if getting to the vaccination site is challenging. For others, getting a two-shot vaccine like Moderna or Pfizer will not be a challenge.

The good news is that the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine is highly effective, safe, and can be a good alternative for people who cannot easily make a second vaccination appointment. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is approved only for people who are 18 and older. Pfizer is the only vaccine that is currently approved for people who are 16 and older.

Right now, there is not enough vaccine for everyone. This means you may not be able to choose which vaccine you get at a site. When you make your appointment, you will be told which vaccine is being offered so you can make an informed decision.

We recommend that you get the vaccine from whoever can give it to you first. You can get the vaccine through the state, Alameda County, your healthcare provider, a pharmacy, or a vaccine pop-up site.

Please visit the Vaccine Availability section of our website to learn about eligibility and how to make an appointment.

Sign-up for vaccine notification with the state at My Turn https://myturn.ca.gov/. 

Contact your health insurance plan, doctor, or pharmacy to find out how to receive the vaccine through those channels.

Alameda County: To sign-up for vaccination with Alameda County, visit our vaccines website and click “Get notified when it’s your turn” under Alameda County Residents.

• Fill out the Alameda County Resident Vaccine Notification Form.
• Be sure to answer YES to the question that asks if you “believe you are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 due to an underlying health condition.”
• If you need help completing the form, call 510-208-4829 and someone will help you sign-up for vaccination with the county.

UCSF-Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland is now giving the Pfizer vaccine to people between the ages of 16-21.

• To schedule a vaccine appointment with Children’s Hospital, call the UCSF COVID vaccine scheduling hotline at 415-514-1196 and when prompted press option 2.  Although option 2 indicates it is for UCSF patients only, you should still press option 2 even if you are not a UCSF patient. 
• After you press option 2, a recorded message will state that UCSF does not currently have vaccine for 1^st doses and that the caller should stay on the line to speak to a representative. Please stay on the line and tell the operator that you are calling to schedule a vaccine appointment at Children’s Hospital Oakland for a 16- or 17-year-old who is medically eligible.

Yes. The county has two vaccine sites that are ADA accessible (walk-in, not drive thru):

• Fremont High School, between High Street & Ygnacio Avenue, Oakland, CA 94601
• Hayward Adult School Gym, between Princeton Street & Sunset Blvd, Hayward, CA 94541

Please visit the Vaccine Availability section of our website for hours of operation.

If standing in line is difficult or causes you discomfort, talk to a vaccine site staff member and ask to sit near the front of the vaccine appointment line. The vaccination team may be able to vaccinate you in your car. If you require any accommodations at a vaccine site, do not hesitate to ask. All sites have multi-language services.

If you have challenges with mobility or cannot take public transportation, please reach out to the resources listed on the Paratransit: Supporting Vaccine Access section of our website. Paratransit is a specialized transportation service for persons who cannot use regular buses, streetcars, or BART due to disability or a health-related condition.

MediCal managed care plans like the Alameda Alliance for Health (AAH) and Anthem Blue Cross, as well as some other health insurance and managed care plans, can also provide transportation services. We recommend that you contact your health insurance or managed care plan for more information about this.

California Children’s Services (CCS) can provide transportation for CCS enrolled children and youth who are not enrolled in Medi-Cal managed care or are unable to obtain transportation through their managed care plan.  For further information about CCS transportation services, please call 510-208-5970 and ask to speak with Michelle Theus, the Alameda County CCS transportation specialist.

Paratransit services are available to those receiving vaccination at the Oakland Coliseum. Please visit the East Bay Paratransit website for more information.

We are working on this. At this time, you cannot receive vaccination at home, but there are plans for this option to be available in the future for those who are homebound or unable to get to a vaccine site.  If you are unable to leave your home due to mobility challenges or illness, you can indicate that you require a vaccination in your home by selecting “yes” on the Alameda County Vaccination notification form.