COVID-19 Vaccination FAQs

The vaccine is currently available for the following groups:

• 1a: Healthcare Workers and Long-Term Care Residents
• 1b: Frontline essential workers, people aged 65 years and older, people living in correctional facilities, homeless shelters, and migrant labor camps, and people aged 16-64 years with a high-risk medical condition or disability that increases their risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

Frontline Essential Workers are eligible for vaccination in the following priority order put forth by the Virginia Department of Health:

1. Police, Fire, and Hazmat
2. Corrections and homeless shelter workers
3. Childcare/K-12 Teachers/Staff
4. Food and Agriculture (including Veterinarians)
5. Manufacturing
6. Grocery store workers
7. Public transit workers
8. Mail carriers (USPS and private)
9. Officials needed to maintain continuity of government

Arlington County is one of 35 health districts accountable to the Virginia Department of Health, which sets priorities for vaccine distribution across the Commonwealth while vaccine supplies are limited.  It will take weeks to a couple of months to vaccinate those eligible in Phase 1b. The ability to schedule appointments will depend on the supply of vaccine available. Vaccine supply in the United States is still very limited and is expected to increase gradually over the next months.

Vaccination in the Arlington Health District

Yes,  once eligible, individuals will be invited to schedule an appointment for vaccine.

The cost of the actual vaccine is covered by the federal government.  Providers can bill insurance for administrative costs for dispensing the vaccine; this cost cannot be passed onto the person receiving vaccine.

We encourage people to schedule appointments aligned with the eligibility outlined in Phase 1a, 1b, and 1c. Individuals will need to provide a form of identification when they arrive for their scheduled appointments.

Beginning Monday, Jan. 11, Arlington residents 75 years and older can schedule an appointment with the Virginia Hospital Center (VHC), in partnership with the Arlington County Public Health Division.

Visit VHC's site for more information and answers to FAQ.

VHC is scheduling appointments based on the supply of vaccines they are receiving. Due to high demand, the scheduling system may not be displaying any available appointments. Future appointments will open as they receive more vaccines. 

As of Jan. 14, Arlington residents who are 65-74 years of age are part of Phase 1b. Arlington residents who are eligible can preregister with Arlington County Public Health Division. Please check back for updates as more vaccine becomes available.

As of Jan. 14, Arlington residents who are 16 – 64 years old with a high-risk medical condition or disability are part of Phase 1b. Arlington residents who are eligible can preregister with Arlington County Public Health Division. Please check back for updates.

The Virginia Department of Health has defined the following groups under Phase 1b:

• At risk populations: persons aged 65 and older; correctional facility residents; homeless shelter residents; people aged 16-64 years with a high-risk medical condition
• Frontline Essential Sector Workers: Police, Fire, and Hazmat; Corrections and homeless shelter workers; Childcare/K-12 Teachers/Staff; Food and Agriculture (including Veterinarians); Manufacturing; Grocery store workers; Public transit workers; Mail carriers (USPS and private); Officials needed to maintain continuity of government.

Childcare /K-12 teachers and staff in Arlington County (public, private, and parochial) are eligible as "frontline essential workers” as defined in Phase 1b by the Virginia Department of Health.  Organizations with childcare and K-12 teachers and staff in Arlington are encouraged to work with their employer to pre-register with the Arlington County Public Health Division so we can invite these staff when it is their turn for vaccination.  Individual employees of childcare and K-12 schools should work through their employers and not sign up as individuals.

APS will notify teachers and staff directly via email when more info is available to pre-register. APS staff do not need to pre-register now.

Grocery store workers are considered Frontline Essential Workers as identified by the Virginia Department of Health in Phase 1b.  Grocery Store management must pre-register with Arlington County Public Health Division to begin the scheduling process for employee vaccinations. Individual grocery store workers should not pre-register for their organization.  Please ask your store manager to pre-register with Arlington.

Food service and restaurant workers are included in “other essential workers” identified by the Virginia Department of Health in Phase 1c, which will come after Phase 1b.  This sector is not included in the food and agriculture category in phase 1b.  This latter sector is for the workers who bring food from farm to the restaurant doors.

It will take several weeks to months to vaccinate Virginians who fall into Phase 1b. The ability to schedule appointments will depend on the supply of vaccine available. Vaccine supply in the United States is still very limited and is expected to increase gradually over the next months.

Because there is not sufficient vaccine supply at this time to vaccinate everyone in Phase 1b, vaccinations will be provided in the following order:

1. Police, Fire and Hazmat
2. Corrections and homeless shelter workers
3. Childcare/k-12 Teachers/Staff
4. Food and Agriculture
5. Manufacturing
6. Grocery store workers
7. Public transit workers
8. Mail carriers (UPS and private)
9. Officials needed to maintain continuity of government

Following pre-registration, invitations for the Phase 1b frontline essential worker groups will be sent as vaccine supplies and vaccine appointment slots become available.

Family caregivers have the same level of risk of exposure to COVID 19 as others household members and are not classified as essential workers. Employed caregivers (home health aides, hospice aides, etc.) are considered health care workers, qualify for vaccination in 1a, and are encouraged to register with the Arlington County Public Health Division

Eligible frontline essential workers should contact their employer directly to learn more about vaccination in the jurisdiction where you are employed.

Vaccines could be available to the general public in spring or summer 2021, depending on the manufacturers’ ability to produce and send vaccines. The actual amount of vaccine received in Virginia is a moving target and is dependent on when and how quickly vaccination doses are manufactured.

The Virginia Department of Health will continue to provide a vaccine in a way that is fair, ethical and transparent. VDH is coordinating future prioritization based on federal guidance. When there are enough vaccine doses available, it will be made available to all Virginians.

Based on plans at both the federal and state level, we expect you will likely be able to get the vaccine at the same places you usually get vaccines, such as:

• Your health care provider
• Community and hospital clinics
• Pharmacies
• Urgent care centers

The vaccines currently approved under Emergency Use Authority have not yet been studied in children younger than 16. They will not be available to that age group until more information is available.

The COVID-19 vaccine trial safety data have reported mostly mild or moderate symptoms after vaccination. The most common adverse reactions were temporary in nature, including: fever, body aches and soreness at the injection site.

Yes. The second dose must be of the same vaccine from the same manufacturer.

Yes. The reason is that while we know the vaccine reduces the risk of developing serious COVID illness, we don’t know yet if it prevents the ability to carry and spread the virus to others still. The CDC has given clear direction that individuals should still wear masks, stating “it will be important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to us to help stop this pandemic, like wearing masks, washing hands often, and social distancing.” The PPE guidance or isolation protocols should not be changed based on the provider’s or the patient’s vaccination status.

No. The vaccine does not contain a live virus. It only contains a piece of the genetic code for the spike protein, which protects your body from the virus. It cannot give you COVID-19.

While the vaccine will help keep you from getting sick from COVID-19, scientists are not yet sure if a person who has been vaccinated can still give the virus to other people. That means it is important for everyone to get vaccinated and to continue wearing masks and following physical distancing recommendations.

There are currently two vaccines that are authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in the United States: 1) Pfizer-BioNTec COVID-19 vaccine and 2) Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Both vaccines require two doses of the same vaccine from the same manufacturer and it will be important that your second dose match your first dose. You will be provided with a vaccination card indicating the vaccine manufacturer.

The Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine was authorized for persons 16 years and older; Moderna in persons aged 18 years of age and older.

Vaccines currently available will be given in two doses by injecting it into the muscle, similar to the flu shot. The second dose should be administered about three or four weeks after the first dose for the Pfizer-BoiNTech and Moderna vaccines. Your shot will be recorded on a vaccination card and you will be asked to follow up with a second appointment at the appropriate time. You must receive both doses as scheduled in order to fully benefit from the vaccine’s protection.

Yes. It is recommended that you should still get the vaccine. Health care providers who had a positive PCR COVID-19 diagnosis in the last three months may consider scheduling a later appointment as data suggests the initial months after recovery may offer protection. It is important to note that regardless of a previous COVID-19 recovery or vaccination, individuals will still need to abide by the same health and safety protocols recommended by the CDC and Health Division. Read more: CDC’s FAQ about COVID-19 Vaccination.

COVID-19 vaccines have satisfied the requirements issued Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Before the FDA grants an EUA, the safety and efficacy of these vaccines were reviewed by FDA scientific staff and by an independent panel of experts convened by the FDA. The CDC and the FDA will continue to monitor individuals who have received the vaccine to ensure there is no evidence of even rare safety issues. The vaccines were tested in large studies to include tens of thousands of people to make sure they met safety standards and protect people of different ages, races, and ethnicities. The study results showed that the vaccines’ benefits outweighed possible risks and provide protection from COVID-19.

COVID-19 can be a severe or fatal disease, even in young, healthy people. The risks from COVID-19 illness are greater than the possible risks from receiving the vaccine, therefore, when you are eligible for vaccination, it is strongly recommended you receive the vaccine. If you have specific questions about whether or not you should receive the vaccine when it is available, please contact your primary care provider.

The two currently available vaccines are manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. These vaccines include a piece of messenger RNA, or mRNA, that your body uses as instructions to make a protein that appears on the surface of the virus. Your immune system reacts to this protein and develops a response without danger of coronavirus infection. This allows your body to start preparing to fight against the virus even before you are exposed. There is no live virus in the vaccine and it is impossible to get COVID-19 from the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine.

Vaccine ingredients lists can be found on the manufacturer’s fact sheets:

• Moderna, see page 2
• Pfizer-BioNTech, see page 2

In clinical trials, the currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines were shown to have high efficacy (>94%) in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 infection after two doses. They also showed that they could prevent severe disease. The vaccine works by stimulating our body’s immune system to make “antibodies” to the COVID-19 virus. These antibodies allow the body to quickly defend itself if one becomes infected with the virus.

While vaccines are very effective in preventing COVID-19, they are just one tool. Even for those who have been vaccinated, a combination of actions is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. After getting the vaccine, it will still be important to adhere to all health and safety recommendations from the CDC and Virginia Department of Health.

The CDC has publicly available information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine at www.cdc.gov. Individuals can select to read information on the CDC website in multiple languages.