Frequently Asked COVID Vaccine Clinic Questions

Teens age 12 through 17 born after 8/2003 are only eligible to receive the Pfizer Vaccine. We have partnered with Vaccine Clinics in Danbury and New Milford for the Pfizer vaccine for our adolescents. COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens | CDC

New Milford: vaccinations@newmilford.org

Danbury: COVID-19 Vaccine (chc1.com)

 

 

COUPON for Rich’s Ice Cream for all those who vaccinate.

 

The FDA and ACIP is now recommending for those who received an mRNA vaccine Moderna or Pfizer receive an additional dose/third dose of the same vaccine. An additional mRNA dose following an initial vaccine series is given to people who may not have had a strong enough immune response after receiving the initial vaccine series. The J & J vaccine only received approval in March of 2021, the data is still pending regarding an additional dose for those who received this vaccine. There is no additional dose for the J & J vaccine at this time.

 

You will be asked to self-attest to being immunocompromised. You do not need a prescription or note from your physician.

 

We are very fortunate. Every pharmacy in Brookfield, as well as Costco, Walmart and grocery store chains carry the Covid-19 vaccines. If you qualify now for a third dose you can schedule your appointment with them. The vaccine is free. You can also check the CT Vaccine Portal Vaccine Finder for locations with appointments.

 

The Brookfield Health Department will offer a limited amount of Moderna vaccine only for Brookfield residents. There are NO appointments. You can walk in for your vaccine. Our third dose clinic for the Immunocompromised will be held at the Brookfield Senior Center on 100 Pocono Road. Expect that there could be wait times as a walk in.

On August 18, 2021 the White House Covid-19 Task Force held a briefing that goes into all the data and facts as to why and when a Covid-19 Booster or third dose should be administered for the mRNA vaccines. That briefing can be listened to here: WATCH: White House COVID task force recommends COVID-19 booster shots | PBS NewsHour

 

In summary, for individuals 18 years and older who received an mRNA vaccine such as Moderna or Pfizer, that they seek a booster or 3rd dose 8 months after they received their second dose. So, if you had your second dose in February, you will be due for a booster in October etc. Pending approval by the FDA and ACIP, all of this will go into effect on September 20, 2021 not before.

 

The Brookfield Health Department will be making plans for walk in clinics for Brookfield residents to receive booster doses of the Moderna Vaccine. We will announce the clinics on this FAQ page, the Brookfield Spotlight, and by telephone voice message at 203-775-7314. We have not carried or administered the Pfizer vaccine. Every pharmacy now carries the Covid-19 vaccines as well as Costco, Walmart and many of the local supermarkets. To quote the White House Task Force, 90% of Americans have a Covid-19 Vaccine clinic within 5 miles of where they live. If you prefer a vaccine appointment, please call your pharmacy or log onto CT Vaccine Portal Vaccine Finder.

 

Question: I lost my vaccination record of my Covid-19 vaccine administered?
If you have lost the card given to you by your vaccinator, you have two places where you can obtain a certificate.
Log onto the VAMS recipient portal where you scheduled your first two vaccine appointments. A certificate can be viewed and printed from here.
https://vams.cdc.gov/vaccineportal/s/
This requires your email and password and two-factor identification
You can also receive a copy of your record on CT WIZ which is the CT DPH Portal.
https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Immunizations/CT-WiZ-Access-My-Immunization-Record
This will also ask for Name, birthdate and two-factor identification.
• If you are still having difficulty in obtaining a copy of your Covid-19 vaccine history, you will need to schedule an appointment at the health department and bring your picture ID.
• We will be offering some help desk assistance for printing Covid-19 vaccine records at our third dose clinics.

 

Medical and public health experts, including the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommend that children and adolescents 12 years of age and older get a COVID-19 vaccine to help protect them from contracting and spreading the virus. Children and adolescents are typically at lower risk than adults of becoming severely ill or hospitalized from COVID-19, but it is still possible. While most children with COVID-19 have mild or no symptoms, they can still spread the disease to others. COVID-19 has caused serious illness, complications, and even death in some children and teens, and those with underlying health conditions may be more likely to become severely ill.

Another important reason for children to get the COVID-19 vaccine is to protect their friends, family, and the broader community.

 

Being vaccinated will allow kids to get back to the things they have missed: in-person school, playing with friends, and participating in sports activities. Vaccinated individuals have a very low risk of contracting COVID-19 or spreading it to others, which adds a layer of protection for unvaccinated individuals around them — such as younger siblings and other children who are not currently eligible. Additionally, as more and more people get vaccinated, the infection rate among the general population will continue to lower, decreasing the chance that the coronavirus will mutate into dangerous variants.

 

Yes. The FDA and CDC have carefully reviewed the clinical trials for Pfizer’s COVID vaccine, and it has been proven to be safe and effective for children 12 and older. Moderna has also applied for authorization for its vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds, and that data is currently under review. Clinical trials are also underway regarding the potential use of these vaccines for children under 12. In addition, the vaccines are being closely monitored to ensure the safety of the vaccines for all eligible age groups.

 

Yes, if you are pregnant, the CDC guidance states you can and should receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Many pregnant women are susceptible to the Covid-19 Delta variant and it can be harmful to both the mother and baby. A conversation with your doctor might be helpful to have all your questions answered, however, it is not required before vaccination. Learn more about vaccination considerations for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

 

Recent reports have been circulating regarding the safety and efficacy of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) Vaccine. These reports concern a very rare condition called Guillain-Barre’ Syndrome, primarily affecting the Nervous System, as being associated with the J & J vaccine. This syndrome has also been reported as rarely associated with the Shingrix vaccine for Shingles and was reported as associates with the Swine Flu vaccine of 2009. Such reports are few and far between and are currently being studied by the CDC in more detail. However, the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine from J & J still FAR outweigh the chances of being affected with Guillain- Barre’. The J & J vaccine has been proven useful against the newly-circulating and more highly contagious Delta variant of the virus as well. This variant has accounted for almost 80% of hospitalizations and serious illnesses, virtually all occurring in unvaccinated people.

 

On April 23, a CDC panel recommended that the pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine be lifted. The panel also recommended that a warning label be added to the vaccine packaging noting the very rare blood clotting disorder risk. Based on the panel’s recommendation, the FDA ended the pause; states and local jurisdictions can now resume use of the J&J vaccine.

The CDC and FDA will provide monitoring and treatment information to health care providers and vaccine recipients.

 

The 10-day pause in April gave health officials time to review additional data to better understand the degree of risk associated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine related to a blood clotting disorder. It also gave federal agencies and the medical community time to determine and share information on the most appropriate treatment response. During that time, nine additional cases of the clotting disorder were identified, bringing the total number of known cases to 15 (among the nearly 7 million people who received the vaccine).

The decision to lift the pause is based on the experts’ determination that the benefits of again administering the vaccine greatly outweigh the very small degree of risk associated with its use, particularly now that the risk and treatment protocols are better understood. The risk of blood clotting is much higher for people who contract COVID than it is for people who receive the J&J vaccine.

 

Effective August 16, 2021, per orders for the Town of Brookfield. Everyone vaccinated or unvaccinated must wear a mask when in indoor public places. Currently, our Covid-19 case rate is at high transmission. Wearing a face mask indoors provides an additional layer of protection in public settings. If you are fully vaccinated, you do not need to wear a face mask to be around other fully vaccinated people in a private setting or in your own home.

 

The guidance on wearing masks has not changed for unvaccinated people or partially vaccinated people, who should continue to wear a mask and maintain social distance, particularly when indoors or in crowded outdoor settings. To protect their friends, family, and community, unvaccinated people age 2 and older should wear a well-fitted mask in public settings and when around people who don’t live in their household. Unvaccinated people do not need to wear a mask outdoors if they practice social distancing or when they are at small outdoor gatherings where all other guests are fully vaccinated. You are not fully vaccinated until two weeks have passed since your second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or since your one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

 

You can follow the vaccine status of Brookfield and other CT towns by viewing this link.

The vaccine map is updated weekly and new data viewable on Fridays. Approximately 2/3 of the town is vaccinated with the Covid-19 Vaccine. 1/3 of residents are not. Of those residents not vaccinated 14% are children who are not yet eligible for a vaccine. If you are unvaccinated, this behavior plays the odds and increases your risk of contracting and spreading the Delta variant of this virus to others including our children.

 

Contact Tracing is conducted by the Brookfield Health Department and team of trained volunteer nurses. If you test positive for the Covid-19 virus you should expect a phone call to discuss isolation and quarantine of close contacts. Individuals with known chronic health conditions should schedule a telehealth visit with their personal physician or healthcare provider to discuss warning signs of severe illness and available treatment options.

 

Because COVID-19 is still a novel virus, experts are still not sure how long an individual’s natural immunity to the virus will last. Therefore, people who have had COVID-19 are advised to receive the vaccine. Speak to your physician and medical professionals for their recommendations. An important observation to share is that Brookfield residents who were sick in the Fall of 2020 are testing positive for the virus again 6 months later with a new symptomatic infection requiring isolation again.

 

Those receiving hospital treatments such as monoclonal antibodies and convalescent plasma for the treatment of severe Covid19 symptoms will be advised by their physician to wait 90 days before obtaining a vaccine so that the vaccine will be more effective once received.

 

If you are pregnant and have received a COVID-19 vaccine, we encourage you to enroll in v-safe, CDC’s smartphone-based tool that provides personalized health check-ins after vaccination. A v-safe pregnancy registry has been established to gather information on the health of pregnant people who have received a COVID-19 vaccine.

Related pages:

Common side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine include pain and swelling where you got the shot, fever, chills, tiredness, and/or headache. They should go away within a few days. If redness or tenderness persists over 24 hours, or your side effects are worrying, call your doctor.

 

Reduce pain and discomfort by applying a clean, cool, wet washcloth over the area and use/exercise your arm.

 

Reduce discomfort from fever: drink plenty of fluids and dress lightly.

 

Pfizer: The best timing between the 1st and 2nd doses of the Pfizer vaccine is 21 days but no earlier than 17 days. Even if your second dose is later than the ideal time of 21 days, it is recommended that you still get the 2nd dose of the vaccine. You do not need to start over. Your second dose must be the same as the 1st.

 

Moderna: There is no maximum interval between the first and second dose. The time between the 2 doses should not be less than 28 days. Both doses should be Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. The safety and efficacy of a mixed-product series have not been evaluated. Both doses of the series should be completed with the same product.

 

Janssen Johnson & Johnson is a one dose vaccine. One dose and you are fully immunized after 2 weeks.