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1. Can I get a vaccine now?

• All Coloradans 12 and older are eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine, and all Coloradans 18 and older are eligible to receive the Moderna or Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine.
• For information about how to find a vaccine provider, visit CDPHE's Find out where you can get vaccinated webpage or JCPH's COVID-19 Vaccination Sign-up Page.

2. How do I set up an appointment to get a vaccine?

• COVID-19 vaccines are widely available across the county. All vaccines are free and no appointment is needed. Insurance and ID are not required. Visit www.jeffco.us/covid-vaccinefor information on where and how to get a free vaccine close to home. Easy ways to get a vaccine today include:
  • Visit a JCPH vaccination clinic near you. A complete list is posted every week at www.jeffco.us/vaccinesignup.
  • Go to a local vaccine provider. For a list of health care providers offering COVID-19 vaccines, visit the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's website.
  • Go to a local retail pharmacy. The following locations are offering vaccines: 
    • Walmart
    • Sam’s Club
    • Safeway
    • Cardinal
    • City Market
    • King Soopers
    • CVS
    • Walgreens
  • Go to a community vaccination site run by CDPHE. Find the most recent list of locations here.

3. What's the difference between the available vaccines?

• All three vaccines work very well to prevent you from getting very sick from COVID-19. 
  • The best vaccine is the one you are able to get the soonest. The more people are vaccinated, the closer we can get to the end of the pandemic.
• All authorized COVID-19 vaccines teach your body how to make spike proteins like the ones that cover the COVID-19 virus. Your body learns how to fight the spike protein without having to fight off the full virus. If you are exposed to a person with COVID-19 after vaccination, your body will recognize the spike proteins and remember how to fight them before the virus makes you sick.
• While all COVID-19 vaccines contain instructions for how to make spike proteins, these instructions are written in different ways. Viral vector vaccines, like the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine, use a piece of double-stranded DNA to teach your body how to fight COVID-19. mRNA vaccines, like the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, use single-stranded mRNA. The goal of every vaccine is the same -- they just use a different strategy to achieve that goal.
• Janssen’s (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine is more durable than either of the authorized mRNA vaccines. It can be stored for up to three months at normal refrigeration temperatures (36–46°F or 2–8°C).
• The Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine only requires one dose. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses.

4. Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe?

The FDA requires that vaccines undergo a rigorous scientific process, including three phases of clinical trials, before they authorize or approve the vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccines are subject to the same safety standards as other vaccine trials. To date, the independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board overseeing Phase 3 trials of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines has not identified or reported any serious safety concerns. All phase 3 studies have Data Safety and Monitoring Boards. The boards are made up of independent scientists hired by the company to look at the safety data and check at regular intervals whether the company should cancel or continue with the study. Additionally, two independent advisory committees will review a vaccine’s safety data before it is made available to the public. These committees are the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC), which advises the FDA, and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which advises the CDC. Learn more about the vaccine safety and development process.

5. What are the side effects of the vaccine?

You may experience mild to moderate side effects after receiving the vaccine. Side effects typically go away on their own after a few days. The most commonly reported side effects are:

• Pain, swelling, and redness at the injection site
• Pain, tenderness and swelling of the lymph nodes in the same arm of the injection
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Muscle pain
• Chills
• Joint pain
• Nausea/vomiting
• Fever

The process of building immunity can cause symptoms. These symptoms are normal and show that your body’s immune system is responding to a vaccine. Other routine vaccines, like the flu vaccine, have similar side effects.

If you experience discomfort after the first dose of the vaccine, it is very important that you still receive the second dose a few weeks later for full protection.

The side effects after the second dose might be more intense or cause more discomfort than side effects after the first dose. In some cases, the side effects may be bad enough to interfere with your work and other normal daily activities for a day or two. Because the body has already responded to one dose of the vaccine, the second dose may cause a stronger immune response in your body. These side effects are expected and show that your body is continuing to build immunity.

If you are experiencing more intense side effects, stay well hydrated, rest, and consider over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen (if they are normally safe for you to take). Side effects are proof that your body is building immunity in response to the vaccine and will typically go away on their own within a day or two.

For in-depth information about the side effects of the vaccines, see the CDC’s report on the Pfizer vaccine, Moderna vaccine and Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

6. Can I get COVID-19 from the vaccine?

A COVID-19 vaccine will give you protection against the disease without having to get sick with the actual virus. It is not possible to get COVID-19 from a vaccine, but it is possible to get symptoms that are consistent with COVID-19. The vaccine candidates use inactivated virus, parts of the virus (e.g., the spike protein), or a gene from the virus. None of these can cause COVID-19. The goal of the vaccine is to provide your body with the tools it needs to fight the COVID-19 virus if you were to get infected.

7. How many doses are in the vaccine, and how does that work?

Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine require two doses, and it is vital that both does are administered on time. The Pfizer vaccine requires two doses 21 days apart, and the Moderna vaccine requires the doses be administered 28 days apart. The vaccines are not interchangeable, so you must receive the second dose of the same vaccine product as the first dose. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine only requires one dose. 

It is very important that you receive your second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on time. The time-frame between doses is determined by the companies producing the vaccine to maximize your body’s ability to create antibodies against the virus. Many routine vaccines, such as Varicella (chickenpox), also require more than one dose for maximum protection.

Every effort should be made to make sure your second dose is the same vaccine product as the first dose. Studies have shown that the vaccines are safe and work well when the same vaccine product is used for both doses.

We strongly recommend that you get both doses from the same vaccine provider. Doing so ensures that you are getting the same vaccine product for both doses at the right time.

8. How long does it take for the vaccine to be effective?

You will not be immediately protected from COVID-19 after receiving the vaccine. Studies show that it takes about 1-2 weeks after your last dose for your body to be able to protect itself against illness. While no vaccine is 100% effective, all available vaccines are shown to be highly effective at preventing moderate, severe and critical cases of COVID-19 illness, hospitalization and death. While there are several known variants of COVID-19, current evidence suggests the vaccine will protect against them.

9. After I have been vaccinated, can I stop wearing a mask and social distancing?

• Masks work to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, and everyone should wear a mask in indoor public settings (regardless of vaccination status) to prevent getting and spreading COVID-19, especially the more transmissible Delta variant. 
  • As of July 27, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance recommending mask wearing for the general public, including those who are fully vaccinated, in areas where there is substantial COVID-19 transmission (defined by 50-99.99 new cases per 100,000 people in the past 7 days). Based on current COVID-19 incidence rates in Jefferson County, JCPH strongly recommends that all residents ages 2 and older, regardless of vaccination status, return to wearing a mask in indoor public spaces to minimize risk and maximize protection from COVID-19, including the highly infectious Delta variant. 
    • Now that all Coloradans age 12 and older have access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, masks are only required in certain places:
      • Indoors in schools and childcare settings in Jeffco per PHO 21-002
      • Everyone age 2 and older must still wear masks on planes, buses, trains and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States, and in U.S.  transportation hubs such as airports and stations. This is required by federal law for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

10. Can my employer require COVID-19 vaccinations or ask about vaccine status?

• Employers may be able to require COVID-19 vaccination for in-person work for their employees, but an employee may be entitled to an exemption through the ADA and Civil Rights Act of 1964. The state of Colorado is not currently pursuing any mandates. The U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission has more information on this on their website: https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/pandemic-preparedness-workplace-and-americans-disabilities-act.
• Employees who work for employers requiring COVID-19 vaccination and who wish to exercise an exemption from the COVID-19 vaccine should consult with their human resources office on acceptable exemption forms. The state’s standard certificates of medical and nonmedical exemption only address vaccines required by state Board of Health rules for school entry.