Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19)

Vaccine FAQs

• Where can I get a COVID vaccine in Galveston County?

  Visit utmbhealth.com/vaccine to get updates on vaccine availability, locations and other information.

  Last modified on 7/07/21

• Do I have to have an appointment or can I just show up?

  Appointments are recommended for vaccinations at UTMB, although “walk-in” vaccinations are available at UTMB's urgent care clinics. Schedule first to minimize any wait.

  Last modified on 7/07/21

• Do I have to be a resident of Galveston County to get the COVID vaccine from UTMB?

  No. We can provide COVID-19 vaccinations regardless of an individual's county of residence.

  Last modified on 7/07/21

• I am not a US citizen. Can I still get vaccinated?

  Yes! We will vaccinate all eligible individuals meeting state and federal guidelines for priority vaccination who make an appointment at utmbhealth.com/vaccine, regardless of citizenship.

  Last modified on 2/3/21

• Do I have to be an established UTMB patient to get the vaccine from UTMB?

  No. UTMB will be happy to schedule your vaccination if you meet the state's current criteria. The timing and location of appointments will depend on available supply. Visit utmbhealth.com/vaccine to get updates on vaccine availability, read about the waitlist and other information.

  Last modified on 3/4/21

• How much will the vaccine cost me?

  You should not have any out-of-pocket expense for the COVID vaccine. If you have insurance, your insurance company may be billed for administrative costs related to vaccination.

  Last modified on 7/07/21

• Can I get the vaccine if I don’t have insurance?

  Yes! The vaccine itself is free of charge to you, and you should not be billed for any administrative costs. We want as many people vaccinated as possible to stop the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.

  Last modified on 1/22/21

Vaccine FAQs

• Is there anyone who should not get the vaccine?

  The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are not recommended for people who have a severe allergic reaction (requiring medical attention) to the first COVID-19 shot in the series or who are allergic to any ingredient in the vaccine. (Vaccine ingredients are listed in each product’s Fact Sheet for Recipients and Caregivers: Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.) Please also review the latest guidance from the CDC regarding allergic reactions.

  Participants in Phase III clinical trials for authorized COVID-19 vaccines should check with the study coordinator before getting the vaccine.

  There is currently no COVID-19 vaccine approved for individuals younger than 12. Research is continuing and options for people 11 and younger may be available at a later date.

  It is recommended that you wait two weeks to get the COVID-19 vaccine after being vaccinated against flu, shingles or other infectious disease. It also recommended you wait at least two weeks after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine before getting other vaccines.

  If you have any questions about your particular health situation and COVID-19 vaccines, please consult your health care provider.

  Last modified on 5/12/20

• Will I get COVID from the vaccine?

  No. The COVID vaccines currently authorized for use do not use live virus; therefore, you cannot get COVID illness from them. The vaccines will help prime your immune system to fight off future infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID.

  Any mild symptoms experienced after the vaccine are due to the immune system adapting itself in response to the vaccine.

  Last modified on 12/2/20

• Who should get the vaccine?

  At this time, COVID-19 vaccines have been approved for ages 12 and up; we are not able to offer a vaccine to anyone under 12 per FDA regulations. A parent or legal guardian must be present for any minor (age 12-17) receiving a COVID vaccine.

  Vaccination is recommended for anyone who meets the age requirements for a particular vaccine product and who does not have any medical contraindications listed in a particular vaccine product’s fact sheet for recipients. Widespread vaccination is the key to protecting the greatest number of people from COVID.

  Last modified on 5/12/21

• I already had COVID and fully recovered. Should I get the vaccine?

  If you are no longer exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms and you are no longer required to quarantine/isolate, you can get the vaccine.

  Last modified on 1/22/21

• I have had COVID and am experiencing long-term health effects. What should I do?

  You may wish to look into UTMB's Post COVID-19 Care Clinic. 

  Last modified on 2/2/21

Vaccine FAQs

• The clinical trials were completed so quickly. Were they really full trials?

  Yes. Phase III clinical trials involve a tremendous amount of administrative work, such as contracting, shipping, recruitment and enrollment of participants, data entry and data analysis.

  Under normal circumstances, the administrative work takes significant time to complete. But the COVID pandemic is the worst in over a century. Therefore, priorities have been shifted to ensure the staffing and other resources needed to complete the administrative tasks much more quickly than usual. This allowed the research to get underway that much faster, to determine safety and effectiveness. The federal government also provided significant funds and other support to remove any barriers.

  In addition, the Phase III trials for COVID vaccines thus far have used a higher number of study participants than usual to more quickly accumulate the needed number of naturally occurring cases of COVID infection among study volunteers to assess vaccine effectiveness.

  Last modified on 12/2/20

• How do I know the vaccine is safe?

  Approved COVID vaccines have been through the full clinical trials process, including multi-site Phase III trials with tens of thousands of volunteer participants to determine safety and effectiveness. (UTMB was a site for both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Phase III clinical trials.) Researchers have not found significant adverse outcomes in the study participants who received the vaccines under review.

  In addition, the FDA reviews results of the Phase III trials before granting Emergency Use Authorization or other approvals. After FDA approval, the vaccines must be reviewed and approved by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices before they can be administered. We expect the vaccines to be approved by FDA and CDC only if they are effective and relatively safe.

  Last modified on 12/2/20

Vaccine FAQs

• What are the side effects of the COVID vaccines?
  • FDA website
  • CDC website
  • Pfizer website
  • Moderna website

  As with other vaccines, the COVID vaccines are expected to produce local side effects such as pain and swelling at the site of injection, as well as possible fever and body aches.

  Although it is rare, some individuals can have a severe allergic reaction to vaccines. If you experience this after getting any vaccine, call 9-1-1 or go to your nearest hospital emergency department. (Individuals who are vaccinated for COVID-19 by UTMB will be asked to remain on-site for 15 minutes to monitor for such reactions.)

  Last modified on 1/22/21

• Can the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines cause Guillain-Barre syndrome or other neurological conditions?

  There is no evidence that the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized for emergency use will cause Guillain Barre syndrome. History of Guillain Barre syndrome is not listed as a contraindication, or medical reason to avoid getting these COVID vaccines. If you have concerns about your individual health status, consult your physician.

  Last modified on 1/22/21

• I have an autoimmune disease. Is it OK for me to take the COVID-19 vaccine?

  Having an autoimmune disease should not prevent you from getting a COVID-19 vaccine. (It’s worth noting that the mRNA vaccine trials for safety and effectiveness included individuals with autoimmune diseases that were stable at the time of the trial.) If you have concerns about your individual health status, consult your physician.

  Last modified on 1/22/21

• Can those who are pregnant or breastfeeding get the COVID-19 vaccine?

  Those who are pregnant or breastfeeding may choose to receive the vaccine when they are invited to do so. (Please note that pregnancy is included in Phase 1B criteria for having a high risk of severe COVID-19 disease.) Because this is a new product, it may be best to delay vaccination until after the first trimester, but at this time, pregnancy is not a stated contraindication, or medical reason to avoid getting the vaccine. Consult with your obstetrician or pediatrician to discuss your individual health status and risk.

  Last modified on 1/22/21

• When deciding whether to get the vaccine, what does “severe allergic reaction” mean? And where can I find a list of ingredients?

  “Severe allergic reaction” means a reaction that required medical attention (such as anaphylaxis). If you have any concerns, consult with your physician before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Please also see the latest CDC guidance regarding allergic reactions to the vaccines or their ingredients.

  Ingredients for the two vaccines currently authorized for emergency use can be found at:

  Pfizer-BioNTech Fact Sheet for Recipients and Caregivers
  Moderna Fact Sheet for Recipients and Caregivers

  Last modified on 1/22/21

• I’m young, healthy and at low risk of dying from COVID-19. Do I need to be vaccinated?

  Yes! Young, healthy people have become severely ill with and died from COVID-19. They also have experienced long-term health effects, such as ongoing fatigue, coughing and shortness of breath that greatly affect quality of life.

  Even without these personal health risks, young people can unknowingly spread the virus to others who are more vulnerable to the disease and to those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. Widespread vaccination is essential to our efforts to fight COVID-19 and we encourage everyone who’s medically able to get the vaccine when it becomes available to you. By protecting yourself you also protect everyone around you.

  Last modified on 1/22/21

• Can I get the new vaccine if I’m part of an active COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial?

  Clinical trials participants should contact the research group for instructions. We expect that volunteers who participated in the COVID vaccine clinical trials and are confirmed to have received the placebo in the study will be able to obtain the COVID vaccine.

  Please be aware that study participants may assume they received the placebo but in fact received the actual vaccine. There may be safety concerns associated with receiving additional (extra) doses of COVID vaccine beyond the two-shot series, so make sure you have spoken to your study investigator prior to vaccination.

  Last modified on 12/2/20

Vaccine FAQs

• Should my child get vaccinated for COVID-19?

  A COVID-19 vaccine is now authorized for children age 12 and older. UTMB recommends vaccination for everyone who meets the age requirements established by the FDA and CDC, as long as they don’t have an allergy to a vaccine ingredient. The vaccine will help protect your child from getting COVID-19. If they still get infected after they get vaccinated, the vaccine may prevent serious illness. By getting vaccinated, your child may also help protect people around them.

  Last modified on 5/12/21

• Can the vaccine give my child COVID-19?

  No. None of the COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized for use or in development in the United States use the live virus that causes COVID-19. However, it typically takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity after vaccination. That means it’s possible your child could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after vaccination and get sick.

  Last modified on 5/12/21

• If my child has already had COVID-19 and recovered, does my child still need to get vaccinated?

  Yes. The CDC recommends that you get vaccinated even if you have already had COVID-19, because you might become infected more than once. While there may be some short-term antibody protection after recovering from COVID-19, we don’t know how long that protection will last.

  Last modified on 5/12/21

• Is it safe to get a COVID-19 vaccine if my child has an underlying medical condition?

  Yes. COVID-19 vaccination is especially important for people with underlying health conditions like heart disease, lung disease, diabetes or obesity. People with these conditions are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19.

  Last modified on 5/12/21

• Is it safe to get a COVID-19 vaccine if my child has allergies?

  For most people with allergies, yes. However, if your child has ever had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in a COVID-19 vaccine, you should not get that vaccine or any COVID-19 vaccine. You can find a list of ingredients in the authorized Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on this fact sheet. If your child has had an immediate allergic reaction of any severity to other vaccines or injectable therapies, your pediatrician can help you decide if it is safe for them to get vaccinated. Your child may still get vaccinated if he or she has severe allergies to oral medications, food, pets, insect stings, latex, or environmental irritants like pollen or dust.

  Last modified on 5/12/21

• Is it better to get natural immunity to COVID-19 rather than immunity from a vaccine?

  No. COVID-19 is new and so are the vaccines to prevent it. We don’t know how long protection lasts for those who get infected or for those who are vaccinated. What we do know is that COVID-19 has caused very serious illness and death for a lot of people—including in children. If your child gets COVID-19, they also risk giving it to loved ones who may get very sick. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine is a safer choice.

  Last modified on 5/12/21

• Why does my child need two COVID-19 shots?

  Currently, the vaccine authorized for children age 12 and older require two doses for maximum protection. The first shot helps the immune system recognize the virus, and the second shot strengthens the immune response. Your child will need both to get the best protection that lasts longest.

  Last modified on 5/12/21

• Will the shot hurt or make my child sick?

  The vaccine will not make your child sick. There may be side effects, but they should go away within a few days. Possible side effects include a sore arm, headache, fever or body aches. This does not mean your child has COVID- 19. These side effects are signs that the vaccine is working to build immunity. If they don’t go away in a week, or you have more serious symptoms, call your doctor.

  Last modified on 5/12/21

• Are there long-term side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine?

  Because all COVID-19 vaccines are new, it will take more time and more people getting vaccinated to learn about very rare or possible long-term side effects. At least eight weeks of safety data were gathered in the clinical trials for all the authorized vaccines, and it’s unusual for vaccine side effects to appear more than eight weeks after vaccination.

  Last modified on 5/12/21

• How do I know if the COVID-19 vaccine is safe?

  All COVID-19 vaccines were tested in clinical trials involving tens of thousands of people to make sure they meet safety standards and protect individuals of different ages, races, and ethnicities. There were no serious safety concerns. These trials were very similar to trials done for other licensed vaccines, but the related tasks were done more quickly due to the urgent need to reduce illnesses during the pandemic. CDC and the FDA will keep monitoring the vaccines to look for safety issues after they are authorized and in use.

  Last modified on 5/12/21

• How do I report problems or bad reactions after getting a COVID-19 vaccine

  UTMB Health encourages everyone who receives a COVID-19 vaccine to enroll in v-safe. This is a smartphone tool you can use to tell CDC if you have any side effects after getting a COVID-19 vaccine. If you report serious side effects, someone from CDC will call to follow up. View the instructions for how to enroll in v-safe. Parents and guardians can set up v-safe accounts on behalf of children.

  Last modified on 5/12/21

• Does my child have to continue to wear a mask and avoid close contact with others after they have been vaccinated?

  Yes, it is important to keep covering the mouth and nose with a mask in the presence of others, washing hands often, and staying at least 6 feet away from others even after you have been vaccinated. While the current vaccines are very effective at preventing illness and severe disease in the vaccinated person, we aren’t yet sure if they reduce transmission of the virus. Continuing these safety measures protects others who haven’t had their vaccine yet or who aren’t able to be vaccinated because of an allergy.

  Also, there is not enough information currently available to say if or when CDC will stop recommending that people wear masks and avoid close contact with others to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. Experts need to understand more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide before making that decision. Other factors, including how many people get vaccinated and how the virus is spreading in communities, will also affect this decision.

  Last modified on 5/12/21