Skip to content
Learn more COVID-19 Info: Testing, vaccines, FAQs and more.

Home

COVID-19 Vaccine

Imagen en español

NOTE: Vaccines for individuals and eligible essential worker groups will be distributed in parallel.

 

Who is Receiving COVID-19 Vaccines in Arlington?

Many groups of people in Arlington County are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine under Phase 1a and Phase 1b of the Commonwealth’s vaccination plan. However, vaccine supply remains limited in Virginia and across the country.

View current status of vaccinations.

All other essential workers part of Phase 1c (as defined by VDH) AND the general public are not eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine at this time.

NOTE: The vaccines have not yet been studied in children younger than 16. They will not be available to that age group until more information is available.

Vaccine Information for the General Public

The vaccine is being offered first to people who work in health care and are at increased risk of getting COVID-19, based on the recommendations from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP).

Vaccines are not expected to be available for the general public until spring or summer 2021. The timeline for general public vaccines—and the actual amount of vaccine Virginia receives—is a moving target, dependent on when and how quickly vaccination doses are manufactured.

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) will continue to provide vaccines in a way that is fair, ethical and transparent. When there are enough vaccine doses available, they will be made available to all Virginians.

Once vaccines are available for the general public, you will likely be able to get them at the same places you usually get vaccines, such as your health care provider, community and hospital clinics, pharmacies, and urgent care centers.

RELATED: Learn about the Complete Vaccination Committee

Vaccine Safety

The FDA is overseeing the approval process for vaccines. It has released safety and efficacy guidelines for companies working on a vaccine. COVID-19 vaccines under development and in trials must follow the same rigorous safety rules as any other new vaccine.

In addition, the FDA and CDC officials will continue monitoring the safety of vaccines after they are made available to make sure there are no previously detected side effects. Common side effects include pain and swelling n the arm where you got the shot, and fever, chills, tiredness and headache throughout the rest of your body.

If the CDC and FDA identify a problem with a vaccine, the agencies inform health officials, health care providers, and the public. CDC uses several systems to monitor vaccine safety, including V-safe.

V-safe is a new, cell phone-based CDC system that individual COVID-19 vaccine recipients can use to notify CDC if they develop any side effects. Each vaccinated person can and should register for v-safe after receiving the vaccine.

Additional Information:

Ongoing Mitigation Efforts

Receiving the COVID-19 vaccine is just one part of the effort to reduce the spread of the virus. Even after you are vaccinated, you will still need to practice these prevention steps:

    • Wash your hands
    • Wear a face covering
    • Keep at least 6 feet of physical distance from others
    • Stay home if sick

Additional Resources