Before they can be given to the general public, vaccines go through a rigorous series of trials and approvals to address their safety and effectiveness. In general, approved vaccines are safe and effective at helping prevent severe disease.

The safety of COVID-19 vaccines is a top priority. Multiple federal partners have worked together to ensure that the COVID-19 vaccines are as safe as possible.

The early trials to test for warning signs about the vaccines’ safety do not indicate any serious concerns. Health officials reviewed all the safety data from the clinical trials to ensure they’re safe before making them available to the general public.

As of May 1, we’ve vaccinated more than 2,000 patients and parents/caregivers. We look forward to providing it to additional patients with the FDA’s new EUA. If you are a patient or caregiver who is eligible and would like to get the COVID vaccine, call (804) 828-CHOR (2467) to get schedule your appointment.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that moderately to severely immunocompromised people receive a third COVID-19 vaccine dose, or booster shot.

The recommendation for a third dose of the vaccine is for people who have:

• Been receiving active cancer treatment for solid tumors or cancers of the blood      
• Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
• Received a stem cell transplant within the last two years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system or to treat for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)
• Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency, such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome or aplastic anemia
• Advanced or untreated HIV infection
• Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response due to therapy for blood cancers or for autoimmune diseases

Read more about the COVID-19 booster

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Children’s immune systems are different from adults, and their immune systems can even vary at different ages, so the vaccines need to be tested on specific age groups separately.

The FDA has granted emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 12-15, the most recent age group to become eligible for the vaccine.

Therapy centers are not able to provide or schedule for the vaccine. Please speak with your child’s CHoR medical provider. If you do not receive medical services at CHoR, please speak with your child’s pediatrician.

Parents/caregivers of CHoR patients UNDER the age of 12: If you would like to receive the vaccine, you are eligible. Please call (804) 628-0223 to schedule an appointment.

Only non-pregnant adults participated in the early clinical trials for various COVID-19 vaccines. We need more information before vaccines are recommended for children, and specifically determining which groups of children should receive the vaccine. Clinical trials continue to expand, so hopefully, we will have this information in the near future.

If your child has COVID-19, they can get the vaccine after they are feeling better and meet the criteria to stop isolation. Read the CDC’s quarantine guidelines here If your child had COVID-19 and had monoclonal antibody or convalescent plasma treatments, they should wait 90 days to get the vaccine. If you have questions, speak with your child’s doctor about when your child should receive the vaccine.

No. There is no evidence that the vaccine affects future fertility.

Currently, there are no COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in children under the age of 12. Children’s immune systems are different from adults and their immune systems can even vary at different ages, so more research is needed to ensure the vaccine will be safe and effective for infants, kids and teens younger than 12.

There are currently three types of vaccines available at VCU and the VCU Health System: Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccines here

We don’t yet know with certainty how long immunity will last. It’s possible that over time more doses will be needed to provide continued protection – similar to many vaccines we’ve been getting routinely for years.

Currently, two parents and any personal health care providers (i.e. in-home nursing) can accompany patients to get their vaccine. No siblings may do so at this time.

The biggest thing right now is to keep up with the practices currently in place to protect against COVID-19 – handwashing, social distancing and masks for those age 2 and older. Self-quarantine at home if anyone in your family might be sick to avoid spreading the virus. It’s also important to keep up with routine vaccinations and medical care to help everyone stay healthy.

It’s been a long year, but there’s been a lot of progress too – with more on the horizon. We’ll continue to keep you informed every step of the way!

Yes, the COVID vaccine will be FREE for everyone.

The vaccine will either be covered by insurance or for uninsured patients, the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Provider Relief Fund, and there will be no out of pocket cost to people receiving the vaccine.

Yes! Here are additional resources from the CDC and VDH:

• What are the benefits of getting a vaccine?
• Are the vaccines safe?
• Who should get the vaccines first?
• What is a mRNA vaccine?
• How was the COVID vaccine tested?
• How do vaccines work

It’s been a long year, but there’s been a lot of progress too – with more on the horizon. We’ll continue to keep you informed every step of the way!