Schedule Your Covid-19 Vaccine Or Test
If You Are A Patient of Caring Health Center:
Call Us At: 413-739-1100
Non-Patients: 413-693-1015
The COVID-19 Vaccine - Your Questions Answered
Because we don’t yet know whether the vaccine protects recipients from spreading the virus to others, continue to follow public health protocols. Cover your mouth and nose with a mask, stay at least 6 feet away from others, avoid crowds, and wash your hands often.
Moderna & Pfizer
All persons who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine more than five months ago are eligible for their 1st booster.
Anyone age 50 and older may get a 2nd booster at least four months after their 1st booster.
Call us at (413) 693-1015
If no answer please leave a message.
According to the CDC:
The Moderna vaccine: 94.1% effective in preventing COVID-19 disease among clinical trial participants.
The Pfizer vaccine: 95% effective at preventing COVID-19 disease in people who received two doses and had no evidence of being previously infected.
The Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine: 66.3% effective in clinical trials at preventing COVID-19 infection in people who received the vaccine and had no evidence of being previously infected.
Vaccines provided at Caring Health Center are FREE! In general cost should not be an obstacle to getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
Like the flu vaccine, the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are administered as a shot in the muscle of the upper arm. Both require patients to receive 2 shots 21-28 days apart respectively. Please refer to the chart and video below for specifics.
Yes! All children over the age of 6 months are eligible for the vaccine.
There is not enough information currently available to say if, or for how long, after infection someone is protected from getting COVID-19 again; this is called natural immunity. Early evidence suggests natural immunity from COVID-19 may not last very long, but more studies are needed to better understand this.
According to the CDC, it typically takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity after vaccination. That means it’s possible a person could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after vaccination and get sick. This is because the vaccine has not had enough time to provide protection.
Children ages 5 and up are expected to be eligible for vaccination sometime in November 2021. Check back for updates.
No. It takes time for your body to build protection after any vaccination. COVID-19 vaccines that require 2 shots may not protect you until a week or two after your second shot. Your healthcare provider will give you details as to when full immunity starts.
If you have had a severe allergic reaction—also known as anaphylaxis—to ingredients used in either Covid-19 vaccine, you should not get vaccinated. You can see a list of the ingredients used in both vaccines on the FDA website FDA.gov, or on the Moderna site. Links to both of these are at the very end of this section. If you have had a severe allergic reaction to other vaccines or injectable therapies, ask your doctor if you should get the vaccine.
Worried about allergic reactions?
Allergic reactions are very rare. On January 22, 2021 the CDC reported only 10 serious allergic reactions out of 4 million doses administered. The reactions happened approximately 7 minutes after the vaccine was given.
Patients vaccinated at Caring Health Center who have concerns about allergies are observed for 15-30 minutes so that treatment for allergic reactions can be given in case it is necessary.
Click the Moderna button below for complete information about the vaccine used here at Caring Health Center. It includes a list of all the ingredients in the vaccine. If you have additional concerns please speak with your healthcare provider.
The importance of testing
Is testing important?
Yes, whether you have been vaccinated or not, it is important to be tested if you have any symptoms. You could be contagious and pass along COVID-19 to others, most critically persons with low immunity or young children who are not yet eligible for vaccination. Testing is vital to helping stop the spread of COVID-19. Here is who should be tested according to the CDC.
People who have symptoms of COVID-19. People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
- People who have come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 should be tested to check for infection:
- Fully vaccinated people should be tested 5–7 days after their last exposure.
People who are not fully vaccinated should get tested immediately when they find out they are a close contact. If their test result is negative, they should get tested again 5–7 days after their last exposure or immediately if symptoms develop.
- Fully vaccinated people should be tested 5–7 days after their last exposure.
- Unvaccinated people who have taken part in activities that put them at higher risk for COVID-19 because they cannot physically distance as needed to avoid exposure, such as travel, attending large social or mass gatherings, or being in crowded or poorly-ventilated indoor settings.
- People who have been asked or referred to get tested by their healthcare provider, or state health department.
CDC recommends that anyone with any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 get tested, regardless of vaccination status or prior infection. If you get tested because you have symptoms or were potentially exposed to the virus, you should stay away from others pending test results and follow the advice of your health care provider or a public health professional.
Source list:
Source: Centers for Disease Control.
https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_casesper100klast7days
Accessed 12/21/20
Source: US Food & Drug Administration.
https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines
Accessed 12/21/2020
Source: Mass.gov
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-vaccine-frequently-asked-questions
Accessed 12/21/2020
Source: Centers for Disease Control.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/8-things.html
Accessed 12/21/2020