COVID-19

COVID-19 Vaccines

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VDH COVID-19 Vaccination Response

 COVIDWISE
COVIDWISE uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to quickly notify users who have likely been exposed so you can reduce the risk of infection for your friends and family and help Virginia stop the spread. 

COVIDCHECK
If you’re feeling sick or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, the sooner you act the better. Start with these resources to help protect yourself, your family, and your friends as we all work to stop the spread.

 

Why Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19

Why do I need the COVID-19 vaccine?

The COVID-19 vaccine will greatly reduce your chances of getting COVID-19 and will ensure that if you do get the virus, you will have only mild symptoms or none at all.

We don’t know yet why some healthy people become seriously ill or die from COVID-19, while other people with COVID-19 only become mildly sick. There’s no way to know how COVID-19 will affect you. Once vaccinated, your body will build immunity to the virus so you are less likely to get sick.

Experts continue to conduct more studies about the effect of COVID-19 vaccination on severity of illness from COVID-19, as well as its ability to keep people from spreading the virus that causes COVID-19.

If I get the COVID-19 vaccine, will this protect my family and friends?
While the vaccine will help keep you from getting sick from COVID-19, scientists are not yet sure if a person who has been vaccinated can still give the virus to other people. That means it is important for everyone to get vaccinated and to continue wearing masks and following physical distancing recommendations.
What should I expect during my visit for a COVID-19 shot?
When you get vaccinated for COVID-19, you will be provided a card that contains the name of the vaccine manufacturer, the vaccine lot number, the date and the location of where you were immunized.

What is herd immunity?

Herd immunity is a form of indirect protection from an infectious disease that occurs when the majority of a population has become immune to infection, either through vaccination or previous infections. Once herd immunity is achieved, the infectious disease is less likely to spread. Those who did not get vaccinated will still be protected because the population in which they live is protected. This is especially important for people with certain medical conditions who might not be able to receive a vaccine.

Herd immunity only works in very large groups — tens of thousands of people — because it keeps the virus from being able to find new hosts within the population. A small group, like a family or a school, cannot have herd immunity because there are still too many other people in the community who can spread the virus. That’s why a country can only have herd immunity when most of the population has been vaccinated.

(See additional resources for more information.)

 

Additional Resources

MaskUpVA!

Mask Making Faceoff

Videos

Tips for shopping safely during COVID-19 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qekb2JElXao
Tips for everyday life during COVID-19 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8dhUytMG28
Caring for elderly/high risk during COVID-19 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xJx8o8y6RE
Living with elderly/high risk during COVID-19 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4DZQNV_ERo
Tips for life at home during COVID-19 (longform)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3BGdgnwwy8