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 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices 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.

Additional FAQs from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Vaccine Education Center

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, also later, 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.

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 Philadelphia Department of Public Health 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.

Two large clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines included about 3,000 African American participants each. Moderna, one of the companies making vaccine, slowed down its clinical trials in September 2020 to boost the number of minority participants. Fully enrolled at about 30,000 participants, their study included 3,000 African American participants (10% of total) and twice as many Hispanic/Latinx participants for a total of 36% enrollees of color. The other vaccine manufacturer, Pfizer, conducted a trial with about 43,000 participants, including over 3,000 African American participants (9% of total), and over 10,000 Hispanic/Latinx participants, for a total of about 30% enrollees of color.

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

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

You should not get the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine if you had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient of the vaccine or a previous dose of the vaccine.

Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine EUA fact sheets for recipient and caregivers

Preliminary data released about the vaccines indicate that the vaccines are very effective in preventing infection. Vaccine efficacy is determined by the proportionate reduction in COVID-19 cases occurring amongst vaccinated persons when compared to unvaccinated persons (“controls”). Currently, Pfizer vaccine efficacy rate is reported as 95% and Moderna vaccine efficacy rate is 94.1%. These are very good efficacy rates.

Both the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines need two doses to be effective. The interval between the two doses depends on which vaccine brand you receive. Typically, it will be either 21 or 28 days. You must start and finish with the same vaccine brand. You are not fully protected until after you receive the second dose, so it is very important to come back for a second dose. Try to schedule your appointment for a second dose at the time that you receive your first dose.

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.

The Health Department has developed a phased approach to vaccination.  The phases are based on a person’s level of risk of acquiring infection, transmitting infection to vulnerable persons, or suffering severe consequences of infection.

You will be eligible to receive the vaccine when the City of Philadelphia reaches the vaccine distribution phase of the group that you are in.

Because the vaccine has not yet been tested in children, only people 16 years and older may receive vaccine at this time (Pfizer vaccine if 16 years and older, Moderna vaccine if 18 years and older). Vaccine can be administered to pregnant women; those women who are interested in receiving the vaccine should speak with their OB-GYN or regular healthcare provider.

Patient-facing healthcare workers
Healthcare workers affiliated with acute care hospitals and health systems will be vaccinated through occupational health clinics.

Unaffiliated healthcare workers can receive the vaccine at:

• Retail pharmacies.
• Health Department clinics or mobile teams.
• Mass vaccination events operated by the Health Department or a community partner like the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium or Philly Fighting COVID.

Sign-up to receive notifications when new vaccination opportunities become available: Medical Personnel COVID-19 Vaccine Contact Form.

Long-term care facility residents and staff
The CDC’s Pharmacy Partnership for Long Term Care Program will provide onsite vaccination services through CVS and Walgreens.

Frontline essential workers at high risk for exposure
There will be several options for vaccination, including:

• Retail pharmacies.
• Clinics based at organizations.
• Health Department clinics.
• Mass vaccination events operated by the Health Department or a community partner like the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium or Philly Fighting COVID.

The availability of the options above will depend on vaccine supply, the number of persons needing to be vaccinated, and the capabilities of partner organizations.

Persons at high risk of morbidity/mortality (severe COVID-19 disease or death)
Those who are age 75+ or who have the highest-risk medical conditions may receive vaccine at:

• Hospitals
• Participating retail pharmacies
• Federally Qualified Health Centers and and Health Department clinics.

The Health Department has asked hospitals and clinics to begin inviting these persons to be vaccinated.

Persons working or residing in congregate settings
These persons may receive vaccine at:

• Their organization.
• Through contracts with pharmacies or other providers.
• Mobile vaccination teams.
• Mass vaccination events operated by the Health Department or a community partner like the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium or Philly Fighting COVID.
• A Health Department clinic if no other access to vaccine is available.

The Health Department will work with persons in these settings to connect them to providers.

We do not know how long someone is protected after getting sick and recovering from COVID; this is called natural immunity. Early evidence suggests natural immunity from COVID-19 may not last very long, but more studies are needed to better understand this. If you have had COVID-19 infection within the last 90 days, you do not need to receive the vaccine now, but you may at some point in the future.

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.

Although two COVID-19 vaccines have been approved, it will still take time before everyone can receive their vaccine.

The Health Department has developed a phased approach to who should get the COVID-19 vaccination first, based on level of risk of acquiring infection, transmitting infection to vulnerable persons, or suffering severe consequences of infection. To develop this framework, the Health Department worked with the Philadelphia COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Committee to guide decisions for how vaccine should be distributed fairly and strategically.

Everyone in the United States needs a COVID-19 vaccine, and eventually, everyone in Philadelphia who wants a COVID-19 vaccine will be able to be vaccinated.

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

The vaccine will be distributed in three phases based on an individual’s risks of acquiring, transmitting, or suffering severe consequences of infection. Phase 1a includes patient-facing healthcare workers and elderly residents of long-term care facilities. Phase 1b encompasses essential workers at high risk for exposure who perform essential duties, persons working and residing in congregate settings, persons 75 years and older, and persons with high-risk medical conditions. Phase 1c includes essential workers with lower risk of exposure and persons 65 – 74 years. The final Phase 2 includes all individuals 16 years and older not previously immunized.

Schedule and Definitions of Priority Populations

Thoughtful allocation of vaccine is critical to preventing continued morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 in our area. In addition, we need to assure equitable access, create transparency in the planning process, and inspire public confidence in this important public health intervention. The Philadelphia Vaccine Advisory Committee (VAC) helped the Health Department determine priority populations for vaccination based on a framework of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).  Priority populations were defined by their increased risk of exposure to COVID-19, their increased risk of transmitting infection to vulnerable persons, and/or their increased risk of suffering serious morbidity/mortality from COVID-19.

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.

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.

Absolutely! It is important for everyone to continue to take careful precautions (such as wearing masks and social distancing) until a large proportion of the population is vaccinated and we are sure the vaccine provides long-term protection. We also do not yet know if individuals who have been vaccinated can still transmit the virus to others if they are exposed, even if they do not get sick themselves.

We strongly recommend getting vaccinated, as it significantly decreases the chance of you getting COVID-19 and may decrease your chance of spreading COVID-19 to others. If you do not get vaccinated, you put not only yourself at risk, but those you love or care about. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine is a safer choice.