Vaccine

The COVID-19 vaccination will be available on a voluntary basis, and while school employees are strongly encouraged to be immunized as part of schools’ layered approach to COVID mitigation, they are not required to receive the vaccine.

• Two doses for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, 21 days apart.
• Two doses for the Moderna vaccine, 28 days apart.

Nothing. COVID-19 vaccines, including their administration fees, are covered by all health plans at no cost to individuals.

Yes. At this time, it is not know how long someone is protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19.

Yes. How much protection the COVID-19 vaccines provide under real-life conditions is still unknown. It is important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to us to help stop this pandemic, like:

• Staying home and isolating from others when sick
• Wearing masks
• Washing hands often
• Social distancing

Together, COVID-19 vaccination and recommendations for how to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from getting and spreading COVID-19. We need to understand more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide before we change recommendations on mask use.

Even with a vaccine you may still be able to spread COVID-19. Even after vaccination, you should stay home as much as possible:

• Isolate if you’re sick
• Wear a mask
• Wash your hands frequently
• Keep your distance from people not in your household

No. The COVID-19 vaccines do not contain coronavirus and cannot give you COVID-19.

No. A vaccine will not cause you to test positive on viral tests.
If your body develops an immune response (the goal of vaccination), there is a possibility that you may test positive on antibody tests. Antibody tests indicate that you may have protection against the virus.

California law strictly limits how personal information about those who are vaccinated can be shared. California negotiated with the federal government to limit the required data sharing to only information that will not allow an individual to be identified.

It depends. CDC recommends that:

• If you have ever had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in a COVID-19 vaccine, you should not get that specific vaccine.
• If you have had a severe allergic reaction to other vaccines or injections, you should ask your doctor if you should get a COVID-19 vaccine.
• People with a history of severe allergic reactions not related to vaccines or injections may still get vaccinated.
  People may get vaccinated even with a:
  • History of allergies to oral medications
  • Family history of severe allergic reactions
  • Milder allergy to vaccines
• If you have a severe allergic reaction after getting the first shot, you should not get the second shot.

Yes. Pregnant women have a higher risk for complications from COVID-19 disease. There are no study results available yet on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in pregnant women. However, experts believe that the vaccines are unlikely to pose a risk to the woman or the fetus. Pregnant women can talk with a doctor about their risk of COVID-19 disease and how they might benefit from vaccination.

Currently, COVID-19 vaccines are not recommended for children:

• Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is for ages sixteen and above
• Moderna vaccine is for ages eighteen and above.

Clinical trials are ongoing to identify a safe vaccine for children.

The first two vaccines available have shown 94-95% efficacy against a person becoming ill with COVID-19.

Getting the second dose of the vaccine will make it more effective. When you receive your first dose, you should schedule the second dose appointment before leaving your doctor’s office.

Check with your health care provider about which vaccine they have available.