COVID Vaccination Information
About COVID-19 Vaccines
COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States are effective at protecting people from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, and dying. As with other vaccine-preventable diseases, you are protected best from COVID-19 when you stay up to date with the recommended vaccinations, including recommended boosters.
Four COVID vaccines are approved or authorized in the U.S.:
- Pfizer-BioNTech
- Moderna
- Novavax
- Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J/Janssen) (However, CDC recommends that the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine only be considered in certain situations, due to safety concerns.)
It is recommended all individuals ages 6 months and older need a primary series (this is the initial set of shots that teaches the body to recognize and fight the virus).
Moderna & Pfizer Vaccines Available at RRHC
All 7 RRHC locations are able to administer the initial series of either the Moderna, or the Pfizer vaccine at the time of your appointment with a medical provider, or on a vaccine clinic day. Call or text (304) 643-4005 to find clinic dates at the campus nearest you.
Staying Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines Including Boosters
- CDC recommends everyone stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines for their age group:
- Getting a COVID-19 vaccine after you recover from COVID-19 infection provides added protection against COVID-19.
- If you recently had COVID-19, you may consider delaying your next vaccine dose (primary dose or booster) by 3 months from when your symptoms started or, if you had no symptoms, when you first received a positive test.
- People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised have different recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters.
- COVID-19 vaccine and booster recommendations may be updated as CDC continues to monitor the latest COVID-19 data.
Updated (Bivalent) Boosters
The updated (bivalent) boosters are called “bivalent” because they protect against both the original virus that causes COVID-19 and the Omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5.
Previous boosters are called “monovalent” because they were designed to protect against the original virus that causes COVID-19. They also provide some protection against Omicron, but not as much as the updated (bivalent) boosters.
The virus that causes COVID-19 has changed over time. The different versions of the virus that have developed over time are called variants. Learn more about variants of the COVID-19 virus.
Two COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers, Pfizer and Moderna, have developed updated (bivalent) COVID-19 boosters.
Most people ages 5 years and older need to get boosted (booster shots help remind your body what it learned from the primary series: how to fight off the virus).
- Those ages 5-11 years are recommended to get an original booster shot (monovalent).
- Those ages 12+ years are recommended to get an Omicron booster shot (bivalent).
Moderna & Pfizer Bivalent Boosters Available at RRHC
All 7 RRHC locations also have the Moderna or the Pfizer bivalent booster available to be administered at the time of your appointment with a medical provider. Find the campus nearest you.
When Are You Up to Date?
You are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines if you have completed a COVID-19 vaccine primary series and received the most recent booster dose recommended for you by CDC.
COVID-19 vaccine recommendations are based on three things:
- Your age
- The vaccine you first received, and
- The length of time since your last dose
People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised have different recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines.
You are still up to date if you receive all COVID-19 vaccine doses recommended for you and then become ill with COVID-19. You do not need to be immediately revaccinated or receive an additional booster.
Still unsure? Try the COVID Vaccine Due Date Calculator.
COVID Symptoms & Treatment
The CDC has a lot of useful information on their website. Click on the section's title to learn more about the topic.
Symptoms of COVID
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms.
*This list does not include all possible symptoms.
When to Get Tested
- If you have symptoms, test immediately.
- If you were exposed to COVID-19 and do not have symptoms, wait at least 5 full days after your exposure before testing. If you test too early, you may be more likely to get an inaccurate result.
- If you are in certain high-risk settings, you may need to test as part of a screening testing program.
- Consider testing before contact with someone at high risk for severe COVID-19, especially if you are in an area with a medium or high COVID-19 Community Level.
For guidance on using tests to determine which mitigations are recommended as you recover from COVID-19, go to Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID-19.
Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID
If you have COVID-19, you can spread the virus to others. There are precautions you can take to prevent spreading it to others: isolation, masking, and avoiding contact with people who are at high risk of getting very sick. Isolation is used to separate people with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 from those without COVID-19.
Regardless of vaccination status, you should isolate from others when you have COVID-19.
You should also isolate if you are sick and suspect that you have COVID-19 but do not yet have test results. If your results are positive, follow the full isolation recommendations below. If your results are negative, you can end your isolation.
Treatments and Medications
Symptoms of COVID
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms.
*This list does not include all possible symptoms.
When to Get Tested
- If you have symptoms, test immediately.
- If you were exposed to COVID-19 and do not have symptoms, wait at least 5 full days after your exposure before testing. If you test too early, you may be more likely to get an inaccurate result.
- If you are in certain high-risk settings, you may need to test as part of a screening testing program.
- Consider testing before contact with someone at high risk for severe COVID-19, especially if you are in an area with a medium or high COVID-19 Community Level.
For guidance on using tests to determine which mitigations are recommended as you recover from COVID-19, go to Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID-19.
Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID
If you have COVID-19, you can spread the virus to others. There are precautions you can take to prevent spreading it to others: isolation, masking, and avoiding contact with people who are at high risk of getting very sick. Isolation is used to separate people with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 from those without COVID-19.
Regardless of vaccination status, you should isolate from others when you have COVID-19.
You should also isolate if you are sick and suspect that you have COVID-19 but do not yet have test results. If your results are positive, follow the full isolation recommendations below. If your results are negative, you can end your isolation.
Treatments and Medications
- If you test positive for COVID-19 and are more likely to get very sick, treatments are available that can reduce your chances of hospitalization and death.
- Don’t delay: Treatment must be started within days after you first develop symptoms to be effective.
- Other medications can help reduce symptoms and help you manage your illness.
- The Treatment Locator (hhs.gov) can help you find a location that offers testing and treatment or a pharmacy where you can fill your prescription.
