Where to get shots, common questions answered

Now that everyone 12 and older is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S., millions of Californians have been partially or fully vaccinated and the state fully reopened its economy June 15.Below you will find breakdowns of vaccination rates by area as well as answers to commonly asked questions about the vaccines, masks, do’s and don’ts and more:How many vaccines have been administered in California? | MORE | How many doses have been administered by California county, ZIP codeVaccine Tracker: How many people have been vaccinated across the country? Latest COVID-19 headlines Health officials flag ‘small’ reaction risk with Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine | Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine may pose a “small possible risk” of a rare but potentially dangerous neurological reaction, U.S. health officials said Monday. Pfizer to discuss COVID-19 vaccine booster with US officials Monday. Here’s what to expect | Pfizer says it plans to meet with top U.S. health officials Monday to discuss the drugmaker’s request for federal authorization of a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine as President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser acknowledged that “it is entirely conceivable, maybe likely” that booster shots will be needed. The beat goes on as Sacramento musicians start live gigs post-pandemic | The state’s economy getting back up and running again is music to the ears of audiences and musicians alike. ‘Treating all kids the same’: California schools still planning masks indoors, after latest CDC guidance | California schools are still planning to require that masks be worn indoors after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that teachers and students vaccinated against COVID-19 did not need to mask up, state health officials said. The delta variant is spreading in CA. What parents with unvaccinated kids need to know this summer |The delta variant of the COVID-19 virus is spreading in California, but there are currently no vaccines approved for kids under the age of 12. ‘We’ve seen almost an entire takeover in the delta variant’: Uptick in COVID-19 cases causing alarm | The U.S. has surpassed 20,000 new COVID-19 cases for the fourth day in a row as the highly contagious delta variant persists in its track in being the most common form of the coronavirus in the country. Latest COVID-19 cases in California 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(App users, click here to see the latest COVID-19 case and testing numbers).Where can I get the COVID-19 vaccine?Californians can get their COVID-19 shots at community vaccination sites, doctor’s offices, clinics and pharmacies.You can find the state’s latest updates on covid19.ca.gov/vaccines and check the notification tool My Turn for information on eligibility and to schedule appointments. County health department websites are also a great tool for seeing what vaccine options are available. The state also promotes the online tool Vaccine Finder to help in locating a vaccination site near you.Pharmacy vaccine information:CVSRite AidWalgreensFrequently asked questions:Do I still have to wear a mask after getting the COVID-19 vaccine?In some cases. The CDC’s updated mask guidance says fully vaccinated Americans do not need to wear masks or physically distance indoors or outdoors, with some exceptions. People should wear masks in crowded indoor locations like airplanes, buses, hospitals and prisons. | MORE | What you need to know about California’s June 15 reopening: Masks, travel and moreHere are other cases where fully vaccinated people will need to wear a mask inside in California: Indoors in K-12 schools, child care and other youth settings. (Note: This may change as updated K-12 schools guidance is forthcoming from the CDC.)Homeless shelters, emergency shelters and cooling centersUnvaccinated people should continue to wear masks indoors at places like restaurants, movie theaters and grocery stores, says California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly.Additionally, Californians can continue to wear masks if they choose, especially around children and others who are vulnerable or not yet eligible for inoculation.Business owners could do the following: Ask customers if they are fully vaccinated so they can go without masks; ask customers to prove they are fully vaccinated so they can go without masks; require all customers to continue wearing masks regardless of whether or not they’re vaccinated.Should I get the vaccine if I’ve already had COVID-19?Yes. According to Dr. Stuart Cohen, chief of infectious diseases at UC Davis Health, data shows that someone who had and recovered from COVID-19 could be immune for about eight months, but that immunity would wane over time and be less effective as the virus changes.”So we still tell people that if they’ve had COVID-19, they should get vaccinated because that will boost their immune system and maybe cause the immunity to last longer. We just want people to wait probably three months after they have been diagnosed, or more so that they avoid getting a more severe reaction to the vaccine,” Dr. Cohen said.| MORE | COVID-19 Vaccine Questions: Can I test positive after getting the shot? What if I’ve already had COVID?Will the vaccine protect against the delta variant?The highly contagious delta strain of the COVID-19 virus has been circulating in the Greater Sacramento region for months now.According to experts, the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are all effective against the new variant. However, some doctors are concerned about the areas with low vaccination rates because the virus could continue to mutate, and the next mutations could have a bigger impact on the vaccine efficacy.| MORE | COVID-19 delta variant in Sacramento region: How far has it spread and what are doctors recommending?What does it mean to be ‘fully vaccinated?’According to the CDC, people are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine. If you do not meet those requirements, regardless of age, you are not fully vaccinated. | MORE | Keep your COVID-19 vaccine card safe with a plastic holder or a protective sleeveDo I need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test or vaccination prior to travel?If you choose to travel in the United States, you do not need to get tested before or after travel. You do not need to self-quarantine after travel.If traveling internationally, pay close attention to the situation at your international destination before traveling outside the United States. You do not need to get tested before leaving the United States unless your destination requires it.You do need to show a negative test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding an international flight to the United States.The CDC recommends you still get tested 3-5 days after international travel, but you do not need to self-quarantine after arriving in the United States.What should I know about the vaccines that have received emergency use authorization from the FDA?Moderna and Pfizer vaccinesHailed as vaccine game-changers for the medical community, health officials say both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are different than any other used for viruses such as the flu, measles or polio.Those COVID-19 vaccines currently approved under emergency use authorization contain what is called messenger RNA, which is being used to create new types of vaccines to protect against infectious diseases.According to the CDC, “to trigger an immune response, many vaccines put a weakened or inactivated germ into our bodies. Not mRNA vaccines. Instead, they teach our cells how to make a protein — or even just a piece of a protein — that triggers an immune response inside our bodies. That immune response, which produces antibodies, is what protects us from getting infected if the real virus enters our bodies.”Johnson & Johnson’s vaccineOn Feb. 28, the Food and Drug Administration authorized Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine — the first single-dose COVID-19 vaccine available in the U.S. and is one that “checks nearly all the boxes.”The vaccine, made by Janssen, J&J’s vaccine arm, was said to be safe and effective, and it’s considered flexible. It’s a single dose, and it doesn’t require special storage.The vaccine is authorized for people ages 18 and older.The CDC and the FDA on April 13 said they were investigating several cases of unusual clots that occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination. The clots occurred in veins that drain blood from the brain and occurred together with low platelets. As a result, the agencies recommended a “pause” in vaccinations with J&J’s vaccine so investigators could look into the cases. Health officials said in an update on April 23 they were aware of 15 cases of the unusual clots since the government authorized use of the vaccine and nearly 8 million shots were given. All were women, most of them under 50. Three died, and seven remained hospitalized.The CDC and FDA lifted the pause, deciding that the vaccine’s benefits outweighed the rare risk of blood clots. They said the risk could be handled with warnings to help younger women decide if they should use that shot or an alternative.What vaccine side effects should I know about? You may have side effects that feel like flu, but they should go away in a couple of days, according to the CDC. Common side effects could include pain, swelling, fever, chills, tiredness and headache. A few people have experienced allergic reactions. If you have had an allergic reaction to a vaccine in the past, the CDC says to contact your doctor about the COVID-19 vaccine.Click here for more information from the CDC. More questions answered with our Get the Facts on the Vax reportsKCRA 3 has taken viewer questions about the vaccine to health experts. If you have other questions, fill out our survey or send us an email at newstips@kcra.com.Get the Facts on the Vax: Do you have to get multiple doses of the vaccine for it to be effective?Get the Facts on the Vax: When will the J&J vaccine be available for children 12 and up?Get the Facts on the Vax: Will I be charged for a COVID-19 vaccine?Get the Facts on the Vax: Why should I get vaccinated if I already had COVID-19?Get the Facts on the Vax: For how long will the vaccines be effective?Get the Facts on the Vax: Who should still be getting tested for COVID-19?Can COVID-19 vaccines affect my period?So you got the COVID-19 vaccine: 9 common questions answeredQ&A: Dr. Blumberg answers viewer questions about COVID-19 vaccine safetyYour guide to every COVID-19 vaccine questionYour COVID-19 Vaccine Questions: Facebook Live with Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UC Davis HealthCOVID-19 Vaccine Questions: Can I test positive after getting the shot? What if I’ve already had COVID? Should I get tested for COVID-19? Where can I get a test in California? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people should consider taking a COVID-19 test if you:Have symptoms of COVID-19.Have had close contact (within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more) with someone with confirmed COVID-19.*Have been asked or referred to get testing by their health care provider, local/external icon or state ​health department.*Fully vaccinated people without COVID-19 symptoms do not need to be tested after being exposed to someone with COVID-19. Here is where you can search for a testing site by address, city, county or ZIP code in California. For more information on testing, visit here.The FDA has also approved a test for COVID-19 that you can take at home. The test kits are available for purchase on Amazon with a turnaround time for results of 24 to 72 hours after the sample is shipped and received.How to protect yourself of COVID-19Here is where you find the state’s latest information on COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.There are six ways to protect yourself and family, according to the California Department of Public Health:• Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.• Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.• Cover a cough or sneeze with your sleeve, or disposable tissue. Wash your hands afterward.• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.• Stay away from work, school or other people if you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough.• Follow guidance from public health officials.What are the symptoms of COVID-19? Per the CDC, these are the symptoms you should watch out for:Fever or chillsCoughShortness of breath or difficulty breathingFatigueMuscle or body achesHeadacheNew loss of taste or smellSore throatCongestion or runny noseNausea or vomitingDiarrheaThis list does not include all possible symptoms. The CDC says to look for emergency warning signs for coronavirus. If someone is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately:Trouble breathingPersistent pain or pressure in the chestNew confusionInability to wake or stay awakeBluish lips or face 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.Who is most at risk for coronavirus?Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms of COVID-19, according to the CDC.Older adults and people who have severe underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from the virus.— This Associated Press contributed to this report.

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