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1. How do I get the vaccine for myself or my child?

There are two steps to getting the vaccine:

1. Find a COVID-19 vaccine provider one of four ways:

• Website: You can go to vaccines.gov (available in English and Spanish) to find providers with vaccines available near you. 
• Text: To find three providers near you, text your zip code to 438829 (GETVAX); for Spanish text your zip code to 822862 (VACUNA).  
• Call: You can call 211 and request assistance scheduling an appointment with a local provide. Assistance is available in both English and Spanish.  You can also call the KDHE COVID-19 Hotline (866-534-3463 / 866-KDHEINF).
• Local Health Department: If you need additional assistance, contact your local health department (directory by county).

   2. Schedule your appointment or find a walk-in clinic. Some providers will have an option to schedule an appointment for a specific day and time by phone or online, while others may coordinate vaccination clinics and advise you to come during a certain time window. Many providers now offer a “walk-in” option for those without an appointment. Please check with your local health care providers for available walk-in hours.  

If you are taking your child who is 5 or older to get vaccinated, confirm with vaccination clinic that the appropriate Pfizer vaccine is available. 

 For help and clinic contact information, visit vaccines.gov. 

2. What is an additional dose?

After completing their primary series, the CDC recommends some moderately or severely immunocompromised people get an additional primary shot, sometimes called an “additional dose.”

To learn more about additional doses, whether you qualify, and when you should get one, visit the CDC’s website: COVID-19 Vaccines for Moderately or Severely Immunocompromised People

3. When can I get a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot?

To learn more about who is eligible for boosters and when, visit the CDC’s website: COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shots.

If you are moderately or severely immunocompromised and received an additional dose, visit the CDC’s website to learn about whether you should get a booster and when: COVID-19 Vaccines for Moderately or Severely Immunocompromised People

Individuals who do not fall into the groups outlined by the CDC are not yet eligible for a booster. The CDC will continue to monitor the safety and efficacy data of boosters and consider expanding eligibility for boosters as the COVID-19 situation evolves.

4. How do I get a COVID-19 booster shot?

You can now receive your booster from a large network of vaccine providers across Kansas, including doctor’s offices, retail pharmacies, local health departments and clinics. Find your vaccination destination at vaccines.gov.

5. Will the COVID-19 vaccine be available to every Kansan who wants it? When?

Anyone age 5 and older are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. There are enough vaccines for all Kansans who want one.

Parental consent is required for those under the age of 18 years, and please note only the Pfizer vaccine is currently approved for use in people ages 5 through 17.  We recommend you confirm that the vaccination site has the appropriate Pfizer vaccine before taking your child to get vaccinated.  

6. Who will be giving the vaccine? Can we just go to our local pharmacy to get it?

There are many different types of providers administering the vaccine now, including:

• Public health clinics
• Your local public health department
• Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC)
• Pharmacies
• Doctor’s offices
• Safety net clinics
• Hospitals
• Other health centers

7. Where can I find data about Kansas' vaccine distribution and administration?

The COVID-19 vaccine dashboard includes data on doses distributed and administered in Kansas. It is updated on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 12:30 pm CT. Note that the Kansas dashboard does not include doses administered through federal programs, so the numbers will be somewhat lower than those on the CDC COVID-19 Tracker.

8. I’m an employer? Why should I encourage my employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine?

By providing information about COVID-19 vaccination and establishing supportive policies and practices, employers can help increase vaccine uptake among workers. 

If you’re an employer, consider the following benefits from vaccination:

• Employees who are vaccinated against COVID-19 are unlikely to get sick and need time off for illness.  
• Employees who are vaccinated will not spread COVID-19 in the workplace, reducing the chance that there will be an outbreak requiring employees to take time off to quarantine.
• The more employees vaccinated, the less likely your business will need to slow down due to a COVID-19 outbreak among employees.  

Simply said, the COVID-19 vaccine is good for business! 

Additionally, as part of the American Rescue Plan, businesses with fewer than 500 employees will be reimbursed for offering paid time off to employees receiving the vaccine (up to $511 per day per employee) through a paid tax credit. Promoting benefits and programs, including paid time off, will help encourage the thirty percent of unvaccinated employees that say they are more likely to get vaccinated if their employers offer incentives.  

9. What will be the cost of getting vaccinated?

The COVID-19 vaccine is free to all Kansans and no insurance is required. Healthcare facilities are permitted to bill your insurance for a vaccine administration fee, but Kansans are not responsible for covering this cost and should not be billed for this cost.

 

10. What if I was turned away due to lack of insurance or ability to pay the administration fee?

Healthcare facilities are permitted to charge an administration fee for the COVID-19 vaccine. However, Kansans are not responsible for paying the administration fee and cannot be denied a vaccine if they cannot afford the administration fee or do not have insurance. If you are eligible for the vaccine but are turned away for not paying, please call KDHE at 866-534-3463 or email.

Alternatively, you may contact the Kansas Insurance Department’s Consumer Assistance Division by phone at 800-432-2484, by email, or by filing a complaint on their website 

11. Is it safe for me to get a COVID-19 vaccine if I would like to have a baby one day?

YES!   If you are trying to become pregnant now or want to get pregnant in the future, you may receive a COVID-19 vaccine. There is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccination increases infertility or the risk of miscarriage.  In addition, there is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccination causes any problems during pregnancy, including problems with the development of the placenta. Like all vaccines, scientists are studying COVID-19 vaccines carefully for side effects now and will continue to study them for many years. 

 In April, a rare, but serious, side effect was identified in a small number of women of reproductive age-related to the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.  Given the availability of two other vaccines, the FDA and CDC have encouraged women younger than 50 years of age to be aware of the rare risk of blood clots with low platelets after vaccination with J&J vaccine.

12. I received a flu vaccine, so why would I need the COVID-19 vaccine?

The flu vaccine will not protect you from coronavirus.

Influenza and COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) belong to two different RNA virus families, so one vaccine is not interchangeable with another. Influenza belongs to the Orthomyxoviridae family, while SARS-CoV-2 is classified in the Coronaviridae family. Both Influenza and SARS-CoV-2 rely on different protein layers to initiate responses. Influenza uses two surface antigens, while SARS-CoV-2 uses spike proteins, so their immunization approaches are different.

13. Will vaccines be mandated?

No, COVID-19 vaccines will not be mandated in Kansas at this time. Documentation of COVID-19 vaccination will be required by some countries for international travel and may be required in some states to attend sporting events or other large events. If you have travel plans, please make sure you know where COVID-19 vaccination will be required.

14. What will I need to provide to get vaccinated?

Adults
Some vaccination sites ask for proof of identity to accurately document the spelling of your name and address in the immunization registry and to make sure you fall within the authorized age range for vaccination.  Officials recommend that you bring any photo ID that shows your name, birth date, and address. This includes but is not limited to a driver's license, Consular ID, or a school or work ID. Requirements vary by provider, so please check before you go. Should you be asked to provide an ID and you do not have one, you can seek another provider.   

You should also bring your health insurance card if you have one. You will not be charged -- vaccines are free -- however, the vaccine provider may bill your insurer a fee for administering the vaccine. No patient will receive a bill, and no patient will be turned away if they do not have insurance.

Children
Parental consent is required for those under the age of 18 years, and only the Pfizer vaccine is currently approved for use in people ages 5 through 17. We recommend you confirm that your vaccination site has the appropriate Pfizer vaccine before taking your child to get vaccinated.  Parents or caregivers who are the primary health insurance holder for their children, please bring a proof of your child’s insurance coverage to the vaccination appointment if you have one. No patient will be turned away if they do not have insurance, and no patient will receive a bill for the vaccine.

15. How will my information be used? How will my data be used? Will my data be shared with ICE or other immigration enforcement agencies if I get the COVID-19 vaccine?

Some vaccination sites ask for proof of identity to accurately document the spelling of your name and address in the immunization registry and to make sure you fall within the authorized age range for vaccination. Entering your information and your COVID-19 vaccine in the immunization registry makes sure there is a record of your vaccine in case you lose your vaccination card and need it to travel or work.   This information is never shared with ICE or immigration enforcement agencies or law enforcement.

16. What do I do if I need a new vaccination card?

It’s widely recommended to take a photograph of both sides of your vaccine card(s) as a backup copy. You should also keep the original stored in a safe place where you can easily access it if needed.

If you need a new vaccine card, the CDC recommends:

• Going to back to your vaccination site with your ID to see if they can give you a replacement
• Contacting your vaccination provider directly to access your vaccination record
• Contacting our health department’s immunization information system (IIS), if you can't get to your vaccination provider. You can find Kansas’ IIS information here or you can call 877.296.0464.
• If you enrolled in V-safe or VaxText, you can access your vaccination information through those tools.