GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Goodfellow Air Force Base members opting to get vaccinated against COVID-19 were offered the Pfizer vaccine and now the Moderna vaccine.
The two COVID-19 vaccines are administered in two doses. After the initial dose there is a waiting period, 21 days for the Pfizer, and 28 days for the Moderna. However, they can be administered after either the 21 or 28 days respectively. Please call your local military hospital or clinic if you have questions regarding doses being administered or the length of time between doses.
Q. Who should receive COVID-19 vaccine?
A. The goal is for everyone to easily get a COVID-19 vaccination as soon as large quantities of the vaccine are available. Because the supply of COVID-19 vaccine in the United States is currently limited, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is providing recommendations to federal, state, and local governments on who should be vaccinated first. Each state has its own plan for deciding which groups of people will be vaccinated first. You can contact your military hospital or state health department for more information on its plan for COVID-19 vaccination.
Q. Who should NOT receive COVID-19 vaccine?
A. If you have had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, you should not get either of the currently available mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. If you had a severe allergic reaction after getting the first dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you should not get the second dose. If you have had an immediate allergic reaction—even if it was not severe—to a vaccine or injectable therapy for another disease, ask your doctor if you should get a COVID-19 vaccine. Your doctor will help you decide if it is safe for you to get vaccinated.
Q: Will we still need to wear masks and practice physical distancing once a vaccine is available?
A: Yes. The intent of the vaccine is to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We’ll still need to wear appropriate face covings and practice physical distancing in order limit the spread of the virus. Additionally, initially, we will not have enough vaccine for everyone who wants it and the COVID-19 pandemic risks will continue. We will continue to recommend wearing masks and practicing physical distancing, for everyone, until the pandemic risk of COVID- 19 is substantially reduced.
Q: How many days should I wait between my first Moderna vaccine dose and my second one?
A. You should wait 28 days between your first Moderna vaccine dose and second dose. In rare and exceptional situations, you can get your second Moderna vaccine 24 days after your first vaccine dose, but under most circumstances you should wait until the 28th day.
Q: It has been more than 28 days since I received my Moderna vaccine. Should I still get my second vaccine?
A. The position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is that the second dose for mRNA vaccines should be at the timelines identified in the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). When this is not possible the CDC states the second dose administration may be scheduled up to 42 days after the first dose.
For more details, see the links below to informational fact sheets about the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.
Moderna vaccine: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/Moderna.html
https://www.modernatx.com/covid19vaccine-eua/eua-fact-sheet-recipients.pdf
Pfizer vaccine: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/pfizer/
https://www.fda.gov/media/144414/download