Oak Street Health is now offering COVID-19 vaccinations to those who qualify based on state guidance and availability in select markets, while supplies last. If you have questions about whether or not you qualify to receive a vaccine, please visit the department of public health website in your county to see when and where vaccines are available to you.

The vaccines are administered via shots/injections. Nearly all COVID-19 vaccines require two doses. The first dose starts building protection, but you need to come back a few weeks later for the second one. Immunity is not guaranteed without both doses. See a CDC guide for what to expect when you get vaccinated.

Most people do not have serious problems after being vaccinated. The side effects that have been reported from the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines appear to be short-lived (1-2 days). Older adults are less likely to have serious side effects vs. younger people. Side effects are more common after the second dose than the first dose. CDC guidelines require the monitoring of all vaccine recipients for at least 15 minutes, which has allowed for quick responses to any adverse reaction experienced. If you have a history of anaphylaxis, you will be monitored for 30 minutes. Additionally, if you have a history of allergies, e.g., food or drug allergies, this does not mean you are allergic to vaccines. The vaccinator will ask about your allergies before vaccination. See more information.

No. while the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines have proven to be effective in preventing COVID-19, there is a possibility that when you get vaccinated, you can be an asymptomatic spreader, meaning you can have the disease without knowing it. Early evidence from the Moderna vaccine shows promise that it can prevent the spread of the disease (more data is needed for the Pfizer vaccine). At this time, both the CDC and public health experts advise that even if you are vaccinated, masks should continue to be worn, practice social distancing, and wash your hands frequently.

The CDC is recommending that people previously infected with COVID-19 get the vaccine as it appears that people may become susceptible to reinfection more than 90 days after initial infection (this is very rare).

Due to the lack of data on getting the COVID-19 vaccine with any other vaccine, the FDA recommends a 14-day period between the COVID-19 vaccine and any other vaccine.

It is strongly recommended to avoid mixing vaccines (Pfizer/BioNtech and Moderna) between your first and second dose. If you receive your vaccine at Oak Street Health, we will ensure that you receive the same vaccine for both dose 1 and dose 2.

The Moderna vaccine requires two doses for full effectiveness. The second dose is administered 28 days after the first dose. If you receive your first dose of Moderna at Oak Street Health, we will ensure you receive the second dose of Moderna.

The Moderna vaccine can provide up to 80.2% protection after one dose, and up to 94.1% protection after the second dose. Full protection from the vaccine won’t kick in until two weeks after the second dose. However, even after you receive both doses of the vaccine, you should continue to wear your mask over your nose and mouth, thoroughly wash your hands, and practice social distancing.

The Pfizer vaccine requires 2 doses for full effectiveness. The second dose is administered 21 days after the first dose. If you receive your first dose of Pfizer at Oak Street Health, we will ensure you receive the second dose of Pfizer.

The Pfizer vaccine can provide up to 52% protection after one dose, and up to 95% protection after the second dose. Full protection from the vaccine won’t kick in until two weeks after the second dose. However, even after you receive both doses of the vaccine, you should continue to wear your mask over your nose and mouth, thoroughly wash your hands, and practice social distancing.

At this time, experts are cautiously optimistic that the current generation of vaccines will provide significant protection against the emerging coronavirus variants. Researchers are continuing to closely study the new variants and the effectiveness of the vaccines against them.

If you are receiving your vaccine at Oak Street Health, you will schedule your second dose with us and receive a COVID-19 vaccination record card before you leave your appointment for your first dose. Please be sure to bring your CDC vaccination record card back for your second dose.

If you are receiving your vaccine outside Oak Street Health, be sure to consult with the team administering your first dose about a follow-up appointment before leaving.

Oak Street Health has prioritized vaccinating individuals aged 65+ who live near our centers. At this time, we are not offering vaccines to other groups. Please visit your local department of health’s website for additional information on locations offering vaccines to healthcare workers, essential workers and others in your area.

We are currently prioritizing individuals 65+ who live near our centers. We will use the contact information you provided, when you filled out our COVID-19 vaccine interest form, to reach out to you as soon as there is an available vaccine appointment for you.

Please do not call us to check on upcoming availability if you are an essential worker. We are working to support all the inquiries from our patients at this time. We will send out text reminders if you have filled out the interest form when we open availability for vaccinations for essential workers.