COVID-19 is a disease caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2 that was first discovered in 2019. It spreads through respiratory droplets or small particles, released when someone who is infected talks, sings, coughs, sneezes, or breathes.  You get COVID-19 by breathing in the virus or less often by touching surfaces and objects that have the virus on it then touching your own mouth, nose, or eyes.

COVID-19 most commonly spreads between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet). COVID-19 can also be spread by airborne transmission at distances greater than 6 feet. This happens within enclosed spaces with inadequate ventilation. Although many people who get COVID-19 are only mildly sick with cough and fever, some people become sick enough that they need to be hospitalized, and some people die from this infection.

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Generally, people who have COVID-19 become sick 2–14 days after being exposed to someone with the virus.

A COVID-like illness is defined as:

Many people with COVID-19 may have no symptoms.  People with COVID-19 can spread the disease to other people several days before they develop symptoms.

If you have mild symptoms, stay home, rest, and avoid contact with others.  You should call your personal health care provider or the Health Department to get instructions for how long you should stay home and avoid contact with others.  If you get COVID-19, you should stay home and avoid contact with others for a minimum of ten days, any fevers are completely gone, and you are feeling better. You’re safer staying home with mild symptoms rather than exposing others or being exposed to the illness.

If someone is showing any of these signs*, seek emergency medical care immediately:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion
• Inability to wake or stay awake
• Bluish lips or face

* This list does not include all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

Call 911 or call ahead to your local emergency facility: Notify the operator that you are seeking care for someone who has or may have COVID-19.

If you are not vaccinated, the best way to prevent getting COVID-19 is to avoid being exposed to the virus. The virus is spread mainly from person to person.  This means that practicing social distancing will help to protect you. To learn more, see staying safe.

There is no medicine or cure that works for all people with COVID-19. But there are ways to help take care of yourself and your family if sick:

• Monoclonal antibodies against COVID-19 are a treatment given by infusion. If you are at high risk for severe disease (are overweight or have medical problems) monoclonal antibodies can help prevent hospitalization and death in people with mild COVID-19. The medication works best if you receive it as soon as possible after infection. Call your healthcare provider to discuss if monoclonal antibodies could help you.
• Most people who have had COVID-19 get better just by resting, drinking fluids, and taking fever medicine like Tylenol/acetaminophen.
• If you have trouble breathing, worsening cough, chest pain or pressure, new confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, or bluish lips or face, call your doctor’s office, go to an urgent care clinic, or go to an emergency department. Call first if you can, so they are expecting you.
• There are several medications that have been found to improve outcomes in people with severe disease including steroids and antiviral medications. These are given in the hospital.

• If you have mild symptoms, stay home, rest, and avoid contact with others until you feel completely better:
  • It is best to stay in a separate room and use your own bathroom if available.
  • Wear a face mask when around other people.
  • Remember to wash your hands often.
  • Call your personal health care provider or the Health Department to determine exactly when it is safe for you to leave your home. You also consult the Health Department’s Calculating Isolation and Quarantine Period.

It’s possible that people who have had COVID-19 can become re-infected, although it is rare. People who have had COVID-19 will have some immunity to the virus, though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do not know yet how long that immunity lasts. We recommend getting the vaccine when it becomes available to you. Learn more about why getting vaccinated is a safer way to build protection than getting infected.

If you were treated for COVID-19 with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, you should wait 90 days before receiving the vaccine.  Ask your doctor if you have more questions about getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

People with serious underlying health problems should always consult with their personal physician or provider when they develop new symptoms. This does not mean that you have COVID-19, but it does mean that you might need to be checked for other possible infections or health issues.

As expected, we have identified a small number of cases of the Delta variant in Philadelphia. We are not aware of widespread transmission due to the variant here.

However, the CDC estimates that a growing number of COVID-19 cases in the country are due to the Delta variant. So while there has not yet been significant transmission of Delta in Philadelphia, we expect that there will be soon.

Scientists are still learning about the Delta variant, but it seems to be more easily transmitted between people. It also appears possible that the Delta variant causes more serious disease including higher rates of hospitalizations, although our information is still very preliminary.

It appears that people who have been fully vaccinated are protected against the Delta variant, although people who have had only one dose of a two-shot series have much less protection. That’s why it’s so important for everyone to get fully vaccinated, either with a single dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccine, or two doses of either Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. 

The Pfizer vaccine is approved for use in children aged 12 to 15 at City-run sites and other vaccination clinics in Philadephia. The Pfizer vaccine is the only COVID-19 vaccine authorized for children 12 years and above at this time.

In Philadelphia, children ages 12-15 can consent for their own COVID-19 vaccination, subject to the vaccine provider’s determination that they can provide informed consent. This aligns with a longstanding City policy that allows children ages 11 and above to consent for vaccines, without approval or consent of a parent or guardian. On May 14, the Board of Health ruled that this also applies to a vaccine with an FDA Emergency Use Authorization. 

Accepted documentation to confirm a child’s age includes one of the following:

• Access school or health care portals via phone
• Copy of school or sports health forms
• Insurance Cards
• Passports
• Birth certificates or photos of their birth certificate
• Any other documents with the child’s name and date of birth.

Please note: Not all sites will vaccinate people under the age of 16. Make sure to call ahead to confirm a vaccination site has Pfizer vaccine and will vaccinate your child. 

On May 12, 2021, the CDC approved the use of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 12 to 15.  The Pfizer vaccine is the only COVID-19 vaccine authorized for children 12 years and above at this time.

Younger children can avoid catching the disease by social distancing, washing their hands often, avoiding people who are sick, and not touching their face.  If children are able, they should wear a face mask that covers their nose and mouth when around other not living in their household.  Children younger than two years of age and those that cannot put on and take off their mask on their own should not wear a face mask.

Social distancing involves decreasing in-person contact with other people to reduce the risk of spreading illness. Children need to practice social distancing as well, both to protect them from infection and to prevent them from spreading the infection to others.

• Stay home as much as possible. Do not plan playdates with other children. Instead, connect with friends by phone or video. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces regularly. This includes tables, chairs, doorknobs, light switches, remote controls, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, strollers, and sinks.
• Children should wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; before and after eating; before and after diapering or using the bathroom; and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing their nose.
• Reduce the number of people you are around to just the people in your household.
• Keep your child at least 6 feet away from other people if you do need to go out. Six feet is about the length of two adult arms lengths.
• Think about ways to get supplies you need delivered rather than having to take your child out to stores. Ask that deliveries be left outside your door rather than accepting them in person.
• Encourage your child to connect with friends and relatives by phone or video rather than visiting them in person to avoid getting sick or accidentally infecting others. Staying connected is important.

You should not postpone your child’s routine health care due to COVID-19.

Most children with COVID-19 have mild symptoms or have no symptoms at all.  It is important to remember that children with mild or severe COVID-19 can spread the disease to other people if appropriate precautions are not followed.  The most common symptoms of COVID-19 in children are fever and cough, but children may have any of these signs or symptoms of COVID-19:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Nasal congestion or runny nose
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Shortness or breath or difficulty breathing
• Diarrhea
• Nausea or vomiting
• Stomachache
• Tiredness
• Headache
• Muscle or body aches
• Poor appetite or poor feeding, especially in babies under 1 year old.

It is recommended to call you child’s health care provider if you think your child has COVID-19 or has been exposed to someone with COVID-19.

MIS-C is a serious condition in children where heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal system can become inflamed. Although the cause is not known, some children who were infected by the virus that causes COVID-19 may develop this condition later on. While MIS-C can be severe, most children get better with proper medical care. This means that it’s important to seek medical attention if your child develops the following symptoms:

• Fever that lasts 24 hours or longer
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Pain in the stomach
• Skin rash
• Feeling unusually tired
• Fast heartbeat
• Rapid breathing
• Red eyes
• Redness or swelling of the lips and tongue
• Redness or swelling of the hands or feet
• Headache, dizziness or lightheadedness
• Enlarged lymph nodes

If you child has these warning signs, please see emergency medical care:

• Severe stomach pain
• Difficulty breathing
• Bluish lips or face
• New confusion
• Inability to wake up or stay awake

Children are more likely to have mild symptoms.  Rarely, children can get very sick with COVID-19, resulting in hospitalization and even death.  Like adults, children who have underlying health conditions are at greater risk of getting severe COVID-19.

There are currently no treatments that work for all cases of COVID-19 in children or adults. But there are ways to help take care of child if they get sick with COVID-19:

• Most children who have had COVID-19 get better just by resting, drinking fluids, and taking fever medicine like Tylenol/acetaminophen.
• If your child has trouble breathing, worsening cough, chest pain or pressure, new confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, or bluish lips or face, immediately call your doctor’s office, go to an urgent care clinic, or go to an emergency department. Call first if you can, so they are expecting you.

It’s very important that families stay connected to their pediatrician and their medical home. Pediatricians are taking​ steps to make sure it’s as safe as possible for visits that need to happen in person. Calling ahead is important so your pediatrician can advise you on the best way to come in.

Find out more about when to contact your child’s pediatrician.

Email vaccines@phila.gov with any questions about vaccination during the pandemic.

The shot can cause swollen lymph nodes for a few days to weeks. This swelling is a normal reaction that your body is building protection to the virus that causes COVID-19 and is NOT a sign of cancer. However, these swollen lymph nodes could cause a false reading on a mammogram. This means that something looks abnormal on the test but doesn’t mean that you have cancer. To avoid these false readings, you should wait 4-6 weeks after your vaccine to get your screening, or annual mammogram. If your doctor is ordering a test because you have breast cancer, or because a previous test looking for breast cancer was abnormal, you should not delay your test. Tell your doctor when you had your shot so that they are aware.

The body’s immune and other systems undergo normal changes during pregnancy, which may make the mother more likely to catch to viral respiratory infections, including COVID-19. Pregnant people with COVID-19 are at increased risk for ICU admission, need for invasive mechanical ventilation (requiring a tube down the throat to breathe) and death.

Adverse infant outcomes such as preterm birth have been reported among infants born to people positive for COVID-19 during pregnancy In most cases the mothers had COVID-19 in their 2nd or 3rd trimesters. In addition, a recent study found that 2.6% of newborns born to people who had COVID-19 during their pregnancy tested positive for COVID-19. More data is needed to learn about infection early in pregnancy.

Pregnancy loss, including miscarriage and stillbirth, has been observed in cases of infection with other related coronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, during pregnancy. High fevers during the first trimester of pregnancy can also increase the risk of birth defects.  If you require emergency care, do not delay your care due to fears of COVID-19.  If you are going to the emergency department, if possible call and tell them that you are pregnant and are having an emergency.  The emergency department will have a plan to protect you from getting COVID-19.

Pregnant healthcare providers (HCP) should follow strict infection control guidelines if exposed to patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. Following recommended infection prevention and control practices is an important part of protecting all HCP.

Information on COVID-19 in pregnancy is very limited; facilities may want to consider limiting exposure of pregnant HCP to patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, especially during high-risk procedures (e.g., aerosol-generating procedures) if possible based on staffing availability.

The virus that causes COVID-19 is thought to spread mainly by close contact with an infected person through respiratory droplets or small particles released when someone who is sick talks, sings, coughs, sneezes, or breathes.  You get COVID-19 by breathing in the virus or less often by touching surfaces and objects that have the virus on it then touching your own mouth, nose, or eyes.  COVID-19 most commonly spreads between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet, or 2 adult arms lengths).

There are reports of vertical transmission of SARS-CoV 2 from pregnant people to their newborns. This means that it is possible for a newborn to be infected before birth. It is very rare however. Most of these cases occurred when people were infected in their third trimester. We do not yet have much information about people who were infected early on in their pregnancy.

Based on limited reports, adverse infant outcomes (e.g., preterm birth) have been reported among infants born to people positive for COVID-19 during pregnancy. However, it is not clear if this was related to the parent’s infection so the risk of adverse infant outcomes is not known.

Given limited available research, knowledge of pregnancy outcomes from other respiratory viral infections may provide some information. For example, influenza during pregnancy has been associated with negative outcomes, including low birth weight and preterm birth. Additionally, having a cold or influenza with a high fever early in pregnancy may increase the risk of certain birth defects. Infants have been born preterm and/or small for gestational age to people with other coronavirus infections (like SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV) during pregnancy.

Most newborns who tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 had mild or no symptoms and recovered.  However, there are a few reports of newborns with severe COVID-19 illness.  At this time, there is no information on long-term health effects on infants either with COVID-19, or those exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19 during pregnancy. In general, prematurity and low birth weight are associated with adverse long-term health effects.

No information is available on whether the virus can be passed on through breastmilk.  However, early research studies have found no evidence of virus in the breastmilk of people with COVID-19.

You, along with your family and healthcare providers, should decide whether and how to start or continue breastfeeding.  Breast milk provides protection against many illnesses and is the best source of nutrition for most babies.

However, a person with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 should take precautions to avoid spreading the virus to the infant during feeding, including washing hands before touching the infant and wearing a facemask while feeding at the breast. You should NOT place a face mask on your baby.  If expressing breastmilk with a breast pump, the parent should wear a face mask while pumping, wash their hands before touching any pump or bottle parts, and follow the recommendation for proper pump cleaning after each use.

If possible, consider having someone who is healthy, is not at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19, and is living in the same home feed the expressed breast milk to the infant.  Any caregiver feeding the baby should wear a face mask when caring for the baby for the entire time you are in isolation and for two weeks after you complete isolation.

Yes. You can require indoor masking of your customers or employees, with the same exceptions allowed as before. You must also allow employees to continue to mask if they choose to.

Removing the mask mandate only means the Health Department will no longer enforce actions against those who do not mask indoors if they have been fully vaccinated.

People who have COVID-19 or suspected COVID-19 infection should stay out of work until all of the following are true:

1. It has been at least 10 days after the onset of symptoms AND
2. They have been fever free without fever-reducing medications for 24 hours AND
3. Their symptoms are improving.

Please do not require proof of COVID-19 testing either to qualify for sick leave or to return to work. Tests can remain positive for weeks after infection due to dead virus remaining in the body, but this does not mean that people are contagious.

The Health Department recommends getting tested for COVID-19 if:

• You have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 (wait until 5-7 days after exposure to ensure test accuracy) OR
• You have symptoms of COVID-19:
  • At least ONE of the following: new or persistent cough, shortness of breath, new loss of sense of smell/taste;
    OR
  • At least TWO of the following: fever, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, congestion/runny nose.

• Your healthcare provider may require testing prior to certain types of procedures.
• Depending on case counts in Philadelphia and various other areas there may be recommendation to get tested based on travel. See the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s travel recommendations before considering any travel.

If you think you should be tested for COVID-19, use our testing sites map and events calendar to find locations, contact information, and other requirements for testing sites in Philadelphia.

If you were tested at a location that is not a hospital or City health center, you should be able to get your test results on the laboratory’s patient portal. If you have additional questions about your results, contact the organization or location at which you were tested.

• Bioreference Laboratories
• LabCorp
• Quest Diagnostics

• Depending on what laboratory performs your test, it may take 1-6 days to learn your results. During that time, get rest, stay hydrated, and stay at home away from all people while you have symptoms. Read our guidance about Calculating isolation and quarantine period (PDF).
• Monitor for symptoms — if you feel short of breath or have a worsening cough or persistent fever (a temperature of 100.4 or greater), call your doctor or go to a hospital emergency department.
• If you must be near other people, wear a cloth mask over your nose and mouth.

If you have had symptoms of COVID-19, you may stop isolating 10 days have passed since your symptoms started AND you have had no fever without fever-lowering medicine for at least 24 hours AND other symptoms (like cough and shortness of breathing) are improving.

If you have NOT had symptoms of COVID-19, you may stop isolating 10 days after your positive test was collected.

Note that instructions are different for those with severely weakened immune systems; healthcare workers; and residents of long-term care facilities, shelters, or other congregate settings.

The Health Department is calling and sending texts and emails to contact individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, or who may have come in contact with a person with COVID-19.

Individuals are asked to complete a brief survey to help the Health Department better understand and monitor the spread of COVID-19 in Philadelphia. Questions address demographic details, signs and symptoms, and information about exposure history, travel, and hospitalization. Participation is voluntary.

When case counts regularly exceed approximately 250 cases a day, the Health Department may not be able to reach out to every case and contact for contact tracing.

In general, masks are not required in Philadelphia. In higher-risk settings, however, you must still wear a mask: schools, daycares and other childcare settings, healthcare settings, adult day centers, congregate settings such as homeless shelters, prisons, and public transit, including planes, buses, trains, taxis, rideshares, and transportation hubs such as airports or stations. These requirements follow CDC and Commonwealth guidance.

We strongly encourage those who are not vaccinated to continue to wear masks indoors unless eating or drinking.

Also, if you will be at an indoor location where you know it will be difficult to put 6 feet between yourself and others outside of your group, you may decide to continue to wear your mask.

It’s important to remember that businesses and organizations are still allowed to require people to wear masks when entering their establishment, so be prepared with your own mask.

Q: If I’ve been fully vaccinated, do I still need to wear a mask indoors?

No. If you are fully vaccinated, you no longer need to wear a mask indoors. An individual is fully vaccinated if it has been at least 2 weeks after the last dose in the series.[1]

It’s important to remember that businesses are still allowed to require people to wear masks when entering their establishment, so be prepared with your own mask.

Q: Can I be denied service for not wearing my mask indoors if I am fully vaccinated?

A: The Health Department recommends that businesses find a reasonable alternative to provide services for unmasked customers, such as curbside delivery.

There may be times when a private business can deny service as long as they offer reasonable accommodation to those who cannot mask for a valid medical exception or are under the age of 2 years.

Offices and workplaces can set their own masking requirements for staff, employees, and visitors, per CDC guidance.

Q: Is there anywhere that indoor masking will still be required even when Philadelphia removes the mask mandate?

A: Yes. Masks are required in certain indoor high-risk environments, following CDC and Commonwealth guidance.

You will still need to mask in schools, daycares and other childcare settings, healthcare settings, congregate settings such as homeless shelters, prisons, and public transit, including planes, buses, trains, taxis, rideshares, and transportation hubs such as airports or stations.

Also, if you will be at an indoor location where you know it will be difficult to put 6 feet between yourself and others outside of your group, you may decide to continue to wear your mask.

Q: I am a small business owner or private employer.  I do not feel comfortable having unmasked customers or employees.  Can I require them to mask indoors, even if the City says they don’t have to?

A: Yes, you can require indoor masking of your customers or employees, with the same exceptions allowed as before. You must also allow employees to continue to mask if they choose to.

Removing the mask mandate only means the Health Department will no longer enforce actions against those who do not mask indoors if they have been fully vaccinated.

Q: How will I know IF/WHEN masks are required again indoors?

A:   The Health Department works closely with the Mayor’s Office and City Council to make sure you are up to speed on any new requirements.  The Health Department website, social media, television news, newspapers, and radio will all be updated with any changes.

[1] If you develop COVID-19 symptoms or test positive for COVID-19 at any point, regardless of vaccination history, you should isolate and seek out testing.

Read the CDC recommendations for when you’ve been fully vaccinated and the complete interim public health recommendations for fully vaccinated people.

This is new guidance for the CDC and will be updated and expanded as case counts and community spread are considered. The Health Department will continue to evaluate this guidance as it relates to case counts and vaccination rates in Philadelphia.

And remember, vaccination is not 100% effective.

• Anyone who develops COVID-19 symptoms should get tested.
• Anyone who is positive for COVID-19 must isolate according to CDC guidelines.
• After vaccination you must still follow local mask guidance when in public indoor spaces or on public transportation.

Travel is safer if individuals are fully vaccinated. Follow CDC travel recommendations.

COVID-19 still poses a high risk for unvaccinated travelers. If you are not vaccinated, the CDC recommends you consider postponing travel until you can get vaccinated. Find out how Philadelphia residents can get vaccinated.

International travel

International travel poses additional risks for travelers. Fully vaccinated travelers are still at some risk of getting and spreading new COVID-19 variants. Follow all CDC travel guidance.

The CDC requires testing for travelers arriving in the U.S. Read more about testing requirements.

Unvaccinated individuals who have had exposure to COVID-19 should quarantine at home for 14 days and follow CDC quarantine guidelines. Travelers may end their quarantine period after:

• Day 10 without testing, OR
• Day 7 after receiving a negative test result (lab-based or rapid) after day 5.

Symptomatic travelers must immediately self-isolate. Contact the Health Department at (215) 685-5488 or your healthcare provider to determine if you should seek COVID-19 testing.

The Health Department recommends that travelers continue to consult the Pennsylvania Department of Health travel recommendations before considering any travel.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has tips on how to travel safely during COVID-19 and a map with recent rates of COVID-19 case by states.

If you were in or near a large crowd–even if you wore a mask–AND you are vaccinated–you should:

• Monitor for COVID-19 symptoms like new-onset fever, cough, or shortness of breath for 14 days.
• Try to stay away from others for 10 days; if you can’t stay at home, be sure to wear a mask properly and try to stay at least six feet from others.
• Get tested for COVID-19 after having been in or near a crowd.

The best way to protect yourself from getting sick and to prevent the spread of germs is to practice good health habits.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water.
  • Wet your hands with running water, lather them with soap, and scrub for at least 20 seconds. Be sure to wash the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails. After rinsing, dry your hands with a clean towel.
  • Learn how to properly wash your hands in the CDC’s video on handwashing.
• Use hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available.
  • If you are using hand sanitizer, choose an alcohol-based product (60 percent alcohol or higher is recommended). Pour some into your palm and then rub it all over your hands and fingers until it dries (about 20 seconds).
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze or cough.
  • If you don’t have a tissue, try to cough or sneeze into your elbow.
  • Throw away used tissues as soon as possible.
  • Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer after touching used tissues.
• Avoid touching your face if you haven’t washed your hands.
• Avoid sharing drinks and eating utensils like forks and spoons.
• Get a flu shot every year.

If you think you have COVID-19:

• If you have mild symptoms, stay home, rest, and avoid contact with others until you feel completely better.
• If you can get to a testing site without taking public transportation or a taxi/ride share, go for testing and then return home.
• Some people with mild COVID-19 will benefit from treatment with monoclonal antibodies, which can help prevent hospitalization and death. You can discuss this treatment with your healthcare provider.

People who should be tested, regardless of age, include:

• People who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.
• People with COVID-19 symptoms:
  • At least ONE of the following: new or persistent cough, shortness of breath, new loss of sense of smell/taste;
    OR
  • At least TWO of the following: fever, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, congestion/runny nose.

Call your primary care physician if you believe you should be tested, or find a testing site. Calling first makes it possible for medical professionals to ensure you can be seen without putting yourself or others at additional risk.

If you have questions about COVID-19 symptoms (common symptoms are fever, dry cough, shortness of breath, fatigue), call the 24/7 helpline at (800) 722-7112.

People with symptoms who have COVID-19 or suspected COVID-19 infection should stay out of work until ALL of the following are true:

1. It has been at least 10 days after symptoms began AND
2. They have been fever free without fever-lowering medicine for 24 hours AND
3. Their symptoms are improving.

For those who tested positive but do not have symptoms, they should stay out of work for 10 days from the date their test was collected.  It is not required to have proof of a negative COVID-19 test to qualify for sick leave or to return to work.  Tests can remain positive for weeks after infection due to dead virus, but this does not mean that people are contagious.

The best way to protect yourself from COVID-19 is to get vaccinated.

Consider walking or riding a bike to work if you are able. If you take public transportation, wear a face mask. Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer often, especially after getting to work, and frequently during the day.

Clean regularly touched surfaces, like your workstation, countertops, doorknobs, and refrigerator handles. Use the cleaners you normally use on these surfaces. If your work involves being around others, wear a face mask to protect them—and ask them to wear one to protect you.

Someone who is actively having trouble breathing such as an asthma attack should take off their face mask in a place at least 6 feet from others and use their asthma medication or get medical attention if needed.

People with asthma or other breathing problems are at higher risk from COVID-19 infection. COVID-19 vaccination is highly recommended. If unvaccinated, they should do their best to wear a mask to protect themselves and others and make sure to maintain social distance and avoid gatherings. They may need to try different types of masks to find one they are comfortable wearing. The type of cloth and the number of layers makes a big difference. Paper masks may be easier for some people to tolerate than cloth masks. A face shield is also an option for someone who can’t tolerate any mask.

Those who are unable to remove a face mask on their own and children younger than 2 years should not wear a face mask.

While transporting the patient, both the patient and the driver should wear face masks. The masks should cover their noses and mouths and they should avoid touching the masks and their faces. The patient should sit as far as possible from the driver, in the right-hand back seat.

No one other than the driver and the patient should ride in the vehicle. During transport, vehicle ventilation should be on non-recirculated mode to maximize air changes that reduce potentially infectious particles in the vehicle.

Anyone who is in isolation or quarantine should try to stay away from other people in the home. Only one person should take care of the person in isolation or quarantine. This person should be the only person to have direct contact with the patient or their room.

The patient should have their own separate bedroom and bathroom if that’s an option. The patient should wear a face mask when they are around other people. Everyone in the home should wash their hands often. Surfaces that are frequently touched by the patient should be cleaned with a household disinfectant at least daily.

We strongly recommend getting vaccinated, as it significantly decreases the chance of you getting COVID-19 disease and is very effective at preventing hospitalization and death. Also, recent data indicates that those vaccinated are much less likely to spread COVID-19.

If you do not get vaccinated, you put not only yourself at risk, but also those you love or care about. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine is a safer choice.

All Philadelphians who meet the age requirements are eligible to get the vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine is currently authorized for individuals 12 years and above. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are currently authorized for individuals 18 years and above.

The COVID-19 vaccine had previously been distributed in phases in Philadelphia. The phases were based on a person’s level of risk of acquiring infection, transmitting infection to vulnerable persons, or suffering severe consequences of infection.

There are many ways to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Here are some options:

• Find a vaccination clinic in Philadelphia.
• Check with your doctor’s office to see if they are offering vaccine. Hospital systems and Federally Qualified Health Centers offer vaccine to their own patients and many also hold vaccine events for community members.
• Pharmacies across the city offer COVID-19 vaccine. Most local pharmacies will give second shots to people who are due or overdue, regardless of where you got your first dose. Check with your local pharmacy for details.
• Check with your employer to see if they are planning to host a vaccine clinic with a pharmacy partner.
• Look for opportunities with community providers (Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium and other awardees of the COVID-19 Community Vaccination Program Request for Proposals).

There is no preference for any of the three vaccines. We recommend taking the first vaccine that is available to you!

Yes. The CDC ended the “pause” on Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine on April 23, 2021. After reviewing the evidence, the CDC found the risk of blood clotting to be extremely rare. While it’s not common, women 50 years and younger should be aware of the possible risk. This vaccine is an effective way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination is recommended by the Health Department and CDC.

Yes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that there have been rare cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) after getting the J&J vaccine. GBS is a rare disease where the body’s immune system damages nerves, leading to muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. Most people fully recover from GBS, but some have long-lasting nerve damage.

According to the CDC, 12.8 million J&J COVID-19 vaccines have been given and there’ve been about 100 possible cases of GBS. The cases have mostly occurred in men about 50 years and older and happen about 2-6 weeks after getting the shot. Almost all of these patients have recovered, although one death has been reported. So, while it’s rare, there may be a small risk of GBS following vaccination.

Almost all COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths occur in unvaccinated people in the United States. The CDC and the Health Department continue to recommend the Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, and Pfizer vaccines to prevent COVID-19.

The Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine is one dose. You are considered fully vaccinated two weeks afterward. Learn more about Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.

The Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines require two doses. You are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after your second dose. It is recommended to start and finish with the same vaccine brand. Learn more about the Moderna vaccine and Pfizer vaccine.

Yes. The vaccines are very effective against symptomatic COVID-19 illness. Vaccine efficacy is determined by comparing the number of symptomatic cases in vaccinated people to the number of symptomatic cases in unvaccinated people.

The vaccine efficacy trials were performed in different populations at different times, so it is impossible to directly compare the available vaccines. For the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19, Pfizer vaccine efficacy rate is reported as 95%, Moderna vaccine efficacy rate is 94.1%, and Johnson & Johnson vaccine efficacy rate is 66% (although 72% in the United States). These are all very good efficacy rates for vaccines. In contrast, influenza vaccines are about 40-60% effective.

All COVID-19 vaccines were highly effective (over 89%) against COVID-19 severe enough to require hospitalization. In the vaccine trials, no participants who received a COVID-19 vaccine died from COVID-19.

In these trials, efficacy of the vaccine was similar across demographic groups, including those with different ages, races and ethnicities, and underlying health conditions.

All vaccines work by preparing your immune system, so that the body can respond more quickly when exposed to an unwanted invader. This reduces your chances of getting sick.

The main ingredient in the COVID-19 vaccines is a code with instructions to make an important protein found on the COVID-19 virus. In the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the code is messenger RNA (mRNA) and is protected by a fat layer. In the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the code is a gene and is carried inside a harmless virus that cannot cause infection.

The code to make the virus protein is only used for a short time and cannot enter the nucleus core of our cells or change the DNA of a person. Once this virus protein is made, our body’s immune cells are trained to recognize it, and protect us from getting sick if we are exposed to the COVID-19 virus in the future.

No. COVID-19 vaccination is not mandatory in Philadelphia. If you have concerns about receiving the vaccine, please discuss them with your healthcare provider or contact the Health Department.

No. The vaccine is being provided by the federal government and is free of charge to all US residents.

Your healthcare provider may charge your insurance company for an administrative fee, but they may not charge you anything for the vaccination. You do not need to pay a co-pay, a deductible, or balance billing to your provider. People who have no insurance may also seek vaccination without needing to pay.

The Pfizer vaccine is approved for use in children aged 12 to 15 at City-run sites and other vaccination clinics in Philadephia. The Pfizer vaccine is the only COVID-19 vaccine authorized for children 12 years and above at this time.

In Philadelphia, children ages 12-15 can consent for their own COVID-19 vaccination, subject to the vaccine provider’s determination that they can provide informed consent. This aligns with a longstanding City policy that allows children ages 11 and above to consent for vaccines, without approval or consent of a parent or guardian. On May 14, the Board of Health ruled that this also applies to a vaccine with an FDA Emergency Use Authorization. 

Accepted documentation to confirm a child’s age includes one of the following:

• Access school or health care portals via phone
• Copy of school or sports health forms
• Insurance Cards
• Passports
• Birth certificates or photos of their birth certificate
• Any other documents with the child’s name and date of birth.

Please note: Not all sites will vaccinate people under the age of 16. Make sure to call ahead to confirm a vaccination site has Pfizer vaccine and will vaccinate your child. 

COVID-19 vaccines can be administered to pregnant people; those who are interested in receiving the vaccine should speak with their OB-GYN or regular healthcare provider if they have questions. Recent evidence suggests that protective antibodies can be transferred to the baby through the placenta and through breastmilk.

If a pregnant person gets the COVID-19 virus, they have a higher risk of getting very sick and having premature birth. If you desire to get pregnant, vaccination will provide protection from COVID-19 during your pregnancy. Scientists do not think that COVID-19 vaccines affect fertility or an individual’s ability to get pregnant.

We do not know what level of antibodies in the blood indicates protection from COVID-19. Therefore, it is recommended that you be vaccinated even if you have antibodies in your blood.

If you recently had COVID-19, you must wait until you are cleared from isolation to protect staff and other individuals at the vaccination site. You also must not be under quarantine after COVID-19 exposure.

Yes. We do not know how long someone is protected after getting sick and recovering from COVID; this is called natural immunity. More studies are needed to understand how long natural immunity to COVID-19 will last. It is recommended to get the vaccine for the best chance of protection from COVID-19 in the future.

However, if you recently had COVID-19, you must wait until you are cleared from isolation to protect staff and other individuals at the vaccination site. For most people, this means that at least 10-days have passed since first developing symptoms, symptoms have improved, and fever has resolved for at least 24 hours. You may need to isolate longer if you are severely ill or immunocompromised. You also must not be under quarantine after being in close contact with someone who has COVID-19.

If you were treated for COVID-19 illness with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, you should wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Please talk to your doctor if you have questions about the treatments you received.

We do not know how long protection with COVID-19 vaccine will last. With other vaccines, immunity may be lifelong (e.g., measles vaccine) or it may only last a few months (e.g., influenza).  Some vaccines need regular booster doses (e.g., pertussis) to remain effective.

We will learn how long immunity lasts with COVID-19 vaccine by following vaccine recipients for years after their immunization. So far, we know protection from the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine lasts at least six months. That doesn’t mean that they will no longer be effective after six months, but this is just how long people in the clinical trials have been followed to date.

The safety of a vaccine is determined by watching for side effects or complications in people who have received immunization with the vaccine. Post-vaccination observation for side effects occurs both during the research studies and when the vaccine is in widespread use. Almost all adverse events that are associated with vaccines occur within six weeks following the immunization. That is why the COVID-19 vaccine trials required eight weeks of observation for vaccine recipients before deciding that the vaccines are safe.

There is also continued monitoring for very rare side effects when the vaccine is in widespread use. Long term side effects are not expected since the code to make the virus protein in the vaccine is only used for a short time before breaking down. This code cannot enter the nucleus core of our cells or change the DNA of a person.

Having a safe and effective vaccine is a top priority in Philadelphia. Approving vaccines as safe, and making sure they work, is the responsibility of the FDA and CDC. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and other groups look at information about a vaccine and make informed decisions about the risks and benefits of using it. The Health Department is committed to making vaccine available only after we are confident that it is safe and effective.

In an emergency, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may not have all of the evidence it would usually want before deciding to approve a new vaccine. The FDA can make a judgment that it’s worth releasing the vaccine even without all the evidence that would fully establish its effectiveness and safety. This type of release is called an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).  One of the minimum requirements for the FDA to issue an EUA is that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the known potential risks.

The Health Department reviewed the safety data made available by the COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer(s), the CDC, and the FDA before allowing the vaccine to be used in Philadelphia.

The large clinical trials for Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines included about 3,000 Black or African American participants each, about 10% of the total. The Johnson & Johnson trials had about 6,500 Black or African American participants, or just under 20% of the total. There were also a large number of Hispanic/Latinx and other participants of color.

See the breakdown of racial and ethnic categories below for each vaccine:

• Pfizer
• Moderna
• Johnson & Johnson

In these trials, efficacy of the vaccine was consistent across demographic groups and there were no safety concerns when these groups were individually analyzed.

No. There are no known drug interactions with the COVID-19 vaccine. If you still have concerns, talk to your healthcare or vaccine provider.

No. The COVID-19 vaccine will not give you COVID-19 infection. There is no living COVID-19 virus in the vaccines now available. Receiving the vaccine, however, will greatly reduce your chances of getting sick from COVID-19 in the future.

Potential short-term side effects include:

• A sore arm.
• General muscle aches.
• Headache.
• Fatigue.
• Chills.
• Fever.

These side effects are signals that your immune system is working.

You should not get the Moderna, Pfizer, or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine if you have had a severe or immediate allergic reaction to any ingredient in the specific COVID-19 vaccine you are receiving or a previous dose of the vaccine.

The administering provider should be able to look up the person’s vaccine information and give them a new card.

Ideally, everyone in Philadelphia will choose to be vaccinated against COVID-19. However, the infection may stop spreading as easily when we can achieve “herd immunity” in the population.

Herd immunity occurs when a large portion of a community (the herd) becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. As a result, the whole community becomes protected — not just those who are immune.

For COVID-19, we believe that herd immunity may be achieved when we have at least 70% of the population vaccinated, although experts are still studying what this threshold will be.

Read the CDC recommendations for when you’ve been fully vaccinated and the complete interim public health recommendations for fully vaccinated people.

This is new guidance for the CDC and will be updated and expanded as case counts and community spread are considered. The Health Department will continue to evaluate this guidance as it relates to case counts and vaccination rates in Philadelphia.

And remember, vaccination is not 100% effective.

• Anyone who develops COVID-19 symptoms should get tested.
• Anyone who is positive for COVID-19 must isolate according to CDC guidelines.
• After vaccination you must still follow local mask guidance when in public indoor spaces or on public transportation.