Covid-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions
About COVID-19 Vaccines
There are, as of December 2021, three COVID-19 vaccines approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.
There is no cost associated with the COVID-19 vaccine, which has been paid for by the federal government’s Operation Warp Speed program as a critical public-health measure.
The recommended waiting period between injections for Pfizer-BioNTech is 21 days (three weeks) and for Moderna, 28 days (four weeks). These waiting periods are minimums but not maximums. The two doses for both vaccines can be received as much as six weeks apart, according to the CDC. To learn more about third doses and booster doses available, click here.
Only booster doses can be mixed and matched. If you received the first two doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine respectively and meet certain criteria, you are eligible for the Pfizer OR Moderna vaccine booster. If you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago and are over 18 years of age, you are also eligible for the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine booster.
You can get a COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines at the same visit. You no longer need to wait 14 days between vaccinations. Experience with other vaccines has shown that the way our bodies develop protection, known as an immune response, after getting vaccinated and possible side effects of vaccines are generally the same when given alone or with other vaccines.
No. This is particularly important if you have COVID-19, have tested positive for COVID-19 (whether or not you have symptoms), or if you’ve been exposed to someone who has COVID-19. You’ll need to reschedule your vaccination until after you’ve met all CDC criteria for ending medical isolation. If you have a non-COVID respiratory illness, speak with your provider about whether you should keep or delay your vaccination appointment (including those for second injections).
Public-health officials are recommending that a large majority of the American population should be vaccinated against COVID-19 (with certain exceptions, such as persons who are allergic to vaccine ingredients). Vaccination can help protect both you and your loved ones from a potentially dangerous disease, as well as slow the spread of COVID-19 through the population.
Receiving a COVID-19 Vaccine at Baptist Health
Please contact your Primary Care provider or check availability at vaccine.ky.gov for Kentucky or OurShot.in.gov for Indiana. Several pharmacies in the community are also offering vaccinations.
The Commonwealth of Kentucky has many regional COVID-19 vaccination centers in the state. For information on scheduling a vaccination appointment at one of these locations, check availability at vaccine.ky.gov for Kentucky or OurShot.in.gov for Indiana.
Baptist Health is currently distributing both the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and Moderna.
The best time to get your vaccine is now! Anyone over the age of 5 is eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Please contact your Primary Care Provider or check availability at vaccine.ky.gov for Kentucky or OurShot.in.gov for Indiana.
Please contact your Primary Care Provider or check availability at vaccine.ky.gov for Kentucky or OurShot.in.gov for Indiana.
The best way to schedule your COVID-19 vaccine is by contacting your Primary Care Provider or check availability at vaccine.ky.gov for Kentucky or OurShot.in.gov for Indiana.
Yes. Our vaccine inventories, which were determined in conjunction with the CDC and state public-health officials, are based on the assumption that anyone receiving a two-dose vaccine will receive both vaccines at the same facility.
Yes. When healthcare facilities began resuming normal operations, Baptist Health implemented a series of safety measures to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 onsite. These measures remain in place today. If you have an appointment at one of our facilities:
- Enter the facility only at your scheduled time.
- Wear a mask or facial covering.
- Practice social distancing (staying six feet or more away from others) at all times.
- Wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds after touching or handling any physical object.
In addition, any in-person visitor to a Baptist Health facility must be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 infection.
Safety and Efficacy of the COVID-19 Vaccines
Yes. In extensive clinical testing, the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines were shown to be 94-95 percent effective in preventing the initial strand of COVID-19 in those individuals who received both doses on a timely basis.
Despite the speed with which the vaccines were developed, no shortcuts were taken in judging their safety or effectiveness for emergency use. Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines were fully tested according to the normal procedures of the FDA, which approves pharmaceutical products for release in the U.S. For example, more than 43,000 persons at 150 sites were involved in the randomized clinical trial for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine prior to its approval by the FDA.
In some persons, yes. Included among the symptoms are swelling at the injection site, headache, joint and muscle pain, fever, chills, and nausea. The side effects are usually transient and mild, and can be taken as evidence that the vaccine is working to create an immune response. Reported side effects were limited to a small minority of participants in the clinical trials.
You should not be vaccinated if you are allergic to any of a vaccine’s ingredients, or if you had an allergic reaction to the first injection.
Neither the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines contain a live virus. They both rely on a germ-fighting strategy that utilizes mRNA, which stands for “messenger-RNA”. Messenger-RNA is a molecule that contains a set of instructions for building a protein, which becomes the source of the body’s immune response.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that pregnant or lactating women should be vaccinated for COVID-19 under certain circumstances. If you’re expecting a child, speak with your physician before scheduling a vaccination appointment.
Yes. The Pfizer vaccine (2 doses) is approved for those 5 and above.
There are some individuals who shouldn’t be vaccinated for COVID-19. These include anyone who:
- Has experienced an allergic reaction to a vaccine of a similar composition to the COVID-19 vaccines
- Has been treated for COVID-19 with convalescent plasma or monoclonal antibodies within the last three months
- Is currently ill with COVID-19
- Is in medical quarantine after exposure to COVID-19