COVID-19 Vaccine Information

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted full FDA approval to the following vaccines for the prevention of COVID-19:

  • Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty) for people 12 and older
  • Moderna (Spikevax) for people 18 years and older

The following COVID-19 vaccines continue to be available under emergency use authorization (EUA) for certain ages and segments of the population:

  • Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty)
  • Moderna (Spikevax)
  • Janssen
  • Novavax, Adjuvanted

To learn what groups are authorized to receive each vaccine and when, visit fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines.

All COVID-19 vaccine doses are free for members. According to the CDC, all FDA-approved or authorized COVID-19 vaccines provide substantial protection against COVID-19 hospitalization.

Additional Vaccine Information

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. According to the CDC, COVID-19 vaccines were developed using science that has been around for decades. COVID 19-vaccines are effective at preventing severe illness from COVID-19 and limiting the spread of the virus that causes it. To learn more about vaccine safety and monitoring, visit cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety.html.

There is a remote chance that vaccines could cause a severe allergic reaction. This would likely occur within an hour of receiving the vaccine.

Mild symptoms including muscle pain at the injection site, low-grade fever, and/or headache have been reported over the first few days after vaccination. Long-term side effects from vaccines are rare. Most side effects are expected to occur within the first six weeks of a vaccine. The clinical trials will follow vaccine participants for two years, which will give us more information about long-term side effects in the future.

If you receive a Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty) or Moderna vaccine, you must take two doses. We are still learning how well the vaccines prevent the spread of COVID-19 and how long protection from the vaccine lasts. After you are vaccinated, it is important that you continue to wear a mask per CDC guidelines, watch your distance, and wash your hands often.

You may visit the Virginia Department of Health and the CDC website for more information.

Updates

COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster Updates

    • CDC recommends everyone stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines for their age group.
    • Getting a COVID-19 vaccine after you recover from COVID-19 infection provides added protection against COVID-19.
    • People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised have different recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines.
    • COVID-19 vaccine and booster recommendations may be updated as CDC continues to monitor the latest COVID-19 data.

For more information, visit cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.

COVID-19 Vaccination for Children and Teens

    • COVID-19 vaccination for children and teens is safe and effective.
    • Use CDC’s COVID-19 booster tool to learn if and when your child or teen can get boosters to stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines.

For more information, visit cdc.gov/ncbddd/humandevelopment/covid-19-vaccination-for-youth.html.