Check your eligibility for the vaccine at your local health department’s COVID-19 website. Criteria can vary by state, county, city or territory. Pharmacies must stick to those criteria.
Find a pharmacy that offers the vaccine by checking your local health department’s COVID-19 website.
Make an appointment online or through a vaccine-specific phone line. COVID-19 vaccines are not available on a walk-in basis.
Inform the pharmacy of any special needs, including those related to hearing, sight, physical disabilities or language of choice.
Gather any needed documents (for example, proof of residency) to bring to the pharmacy.
Wear clothing that gives easy access to your upper arm.
At the Pharmacy:
Wear a well-fitted mask that covers your nose and mouth or double mask. Stay at least six feet away from others.
Be patient. Pharmacy staff are also caring for patients needing prescriptions, other vaccines and health advice.
Pharmacies are given vaccines by the government. No specific vaccine brand requests (for example, Moderna, Pfizer) may be made.
Stay for 15 minutes, or as advised, to be monitored for allergic reactions.
Schedule a second vaccine dose, if needed, at the same pharmacy.
Go to www.cdc.gov/vsafe to sign up for the V-SAFE phone app to get personalized health check-ins and report any vaccine side effects
The American Public Health Association champions the health of all people and communities. We are the only organization that combines a nearly 150-year perspective, a broad-based member community and the ability to in!uence federal policy to improve the public’s health. Learn more at www.apha.org.
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