COVID-19 Information

COVID-19 is a disease caused by a new coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. It was first discovered in December of 2019. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure and can range from mild to severe and lead to death. The most common symptoms are:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

The symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to the flu. Learn more about the differences. Ultimately, you may need a test to determine if you have COVID-19, and your doctor can help you make that determination.

If you are experiencing any of the common symptoms listed above, you should self-quarantine/isolate at home. Please call your healthcare provider's office before arriving or scheduling an appointment to determine the appropriate care setting and testing process.

Call 911 if you have emergency signs such as trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to arouse, or bluish lips or face.

Vaccines currently prevent millions of deaths from diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, and influenza every year. Vaccines work by training and preparing the body's natural defenses—the immune system—to recognize and fight off the viruses and bacteria they target. If the body is exposed to those disease-causing germs later, the body is immediately ready to destroy them, preventing illness. Vaccines are also critical to the prevention and control of infectious disease outbreaks.

COVID-19 vaccines help our bodies develop immunity to the virus that causes COVID-19 without us having to get the illness. Different types of vaccines work in different ways to offer protection, but all of them use the virus (or parts or material from it) to provoke an immune response. Once the body's immune system has "previewed" the virus from the vaccine, it can recognize and respond if it reencounters the virus.

• The Pfizer vaccine received full authorization for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for people 16 years old and older on August 23, 2021. It is available under emergency use authorization for people ages 5-15. The vaccine uses the same mRNA approach as the Moderna vaccine. When first administered, it requires two doses; a third dose may be required for severely immunocompromised individuals.
• The Moderna vaccine was fully authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for people 18 years old and older on January 31, 2022. The vaccine uses the same mRNA approach as the Pfizer vaccine. When first administered, it requires two doses; a third dose may be required for severely immunocompromised individuals.
• The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on February 27, 2021, for people 18 years old and older. The vaccine is a viral vector vaccine requiring only one shot.

PeaceHealth is currently offering vaccines manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna, depending on clinic location.

PeaceHealth is currently offering immunization and booster shots for patients at our primary care clinics. Appointments are required. To schedule, please call your primary care provider or request an appointment through our patient portal, My PeaceHealth.

Messenger RNA vaccines—also called mRNA vaccines—are some of the first COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the United States, including the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Many vaccines put a weakened or inactivated germ into our bodies to trigger an immune response, not mRNA vaccines. Instead, they teach our cells how to make a protein—or even just a piece of a protein—that triggers an immune response inside our bodies. That immune response, which produces antibodies, protects us from getting infected if the actual virus enters our bodies.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines contain a tiny piece of genetic material (mRNA) encased in salt, sugar and fats. Unlike the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which store the instructions in single-stranded RNA, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine uses double-stranded DNA. None of these vaccines contain a nano- or microchip or any other sort of tracking device. You can find the list of ingredients on the FDA fact sheets for the Pfizer vaccine, Moderna vaccine and Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

You may have some side effects from the vaccine. Side effects indicate that your body is building protection against the virus. Most people either have no side effects or common side effects such as:

• swelling or redness at the injection site
• headache
• muscle pain
• tiredness

It is extremely rare for anyone to have a severe allergic reaction. You will be asked to remain at the vaccination location for 15-30 minutes after your vaccine to be monitored for severe side effects. Side effects may be more intense after your second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines but should disappear within a few days. If you think you're having a severe allergic reaction after leaving the vaccination site, call 911.

If you have concerns about possible side effects you may be experiencing, reach out to your provider. PeaceHealth is safe, open and ready to care for you.

Learn more about side effects and when to call your doctor.

As long as the virus continues to spread, mutations are expected, and COVID-19 vaccines may also need to be revised to allow for growing diversity in the virus. The currently available COVID-19 vaccines protect against multiple strains of the virus, including the delta variant. Scientists believe that the vaccine provides some measure of protection against the omicron variant. However, the variant is still too new to know how long the protection lasts.

Patients should not have any out-of-pocket expenses for the COVID-19 vaccine. The federal government pays for the cost of the vaccine itself regardless of immigration and insurance status. If you have public or private insurance, PeaceHealth will bill them for the cost of administering the vaccine. If you do not have insurance, the federal government offers healthcare providers a program covering vaccine administration costs.

Due to the severe health risks associated with COVID-19, people who previously had COVID-19 should still get the vaccine to help protect against getting COVID-19 again or passing it onto someone else. Check with your doctor about how long you should wait after recovery before getting a COVID-19 vaccination. The protection someone gains from having an infection (called natural immunity) varies depending on the disease and from person to person. Since this virus is new, we don't know how long natural immunity might last, and more studies are needed.

There have been a small number of severe allergic reactions in early Pfizer vaccinations in the U.K. and the U.S. These cases are being reviewed. If you have a history of allergies that are severe enough to require you to carry an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen), you may wish to talk to your primary care provider before taking the vaccine.

The FDA recommends that you not get the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines if you either had a severe allergic reaction after a previous dose of one of these vaccines or had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in one of these vaccines. You can find the list of ingredients on the FDA fact sheets for the Pfizer vaccine and Moderna vaccine.

Reports of adverse events following the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine suggest an increased risk of a rare adverse event called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS). Based on available data, the CDC has stated that this vaccine's known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks. However, women younger than 50 should be aware of the rare but increased risk of this adverse event and that there are other COVID-19 vaccine options available for which this risk has not been seen. If you are in this category, you may wish to talk to your primary care provider before taking the vaccine. You can find the list of ingredients on the FDA fact sheets for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine here.

The CDC strongly recommends that pregnant people, recently pregnant people (including those who are lactating), people who are trying to become pregnant now, or people who might become pregnant in the future get vaccinated against COVID-19. Evidence about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy has been growing. The data suggest that the benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine outweigh any known or potential risks of vaccination during pregnancy for both pregnant persons and their fetus/infant.

Although the overall risk of severe illness is low, pregnant and recently pregnant people are at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 when compared with non-pregnant people. Severe illness includes conditions that require hospitalization, intensive care, need for a ventilator or special equipment to breathe, or illness that results in death. Additionally, pregnant people with COVID-19 are at increased risk of pre-term birth and might be at increased risk of other adverse pregnancy outcomes compared with pregnant women without COVID-19. The best way to protect against COVID-19 is vaccination.

CDC recommendations align with the recommendations from professional medical organizations serving pregnant people, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

For more information, visit the CDC's vaccine pregnancy site.

Based on how these vaccines work in the body, COVID-19 vaccines are thought not to be a risk to lactating people or their breastfeeding babies. Recent reports have shown that breastfeeding people who have received COVID-19 mRNA vaccines have antibodies in their breastmilk, which could help protect their babies. More data are needed to determine what protection these antibodies may provide to the baby.

There is no evidence that the authorized COVID-19 vaccines impact fertility. However, some research studies suggest that getting COVID-19—the virus, not the vaccine—can affect sperm quality, potentially contributing to certain people's infertility concerns. Therefore, the virus may pose a greater risk to fertility than the vaccine. If you have concerns or questions about any vaccine side effects, consult your primary care provider.

Yes. The Vatican has found the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines morally acceptable. Additionally, in collaboration with other Catholic bioethicists, the Catholic Health Association and their ethicists encourage Catholic health organizations to distribute the COVID-19 vaccines. They have found nothing morally prohibitive with their development and use.

According to the CDC, serious adverse events after COVID-19 vaccination are rare but may occur. Reports of adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) do not necessarily mean that a vaccine caused a health problem. Vaccine experts make that determination upon reviewing reported events. CDC's summary of known adverse events from COVID-19 vaccines administered in the U.S. shows that serious adverse events are exceptionally rare and supports the statement that the vaccines are safe and effective.

We strongly encourage vaccination for any patient or visitor for whom it is medically advisable. Vaccines are the best way to protect oneself and others in the community. Patients cannot be required to be vaccinated. As public health circumstances warrant, requirements for visitors—for example, masking, vaccination, or eliminating visitation entirely—are or may be necessary.

If you lost your card, you have several options for replacing it. If you received your vaccination at a PeaceHealth facility, you can find your vaccination record in your My PeaceHealth account. If you received it from another organization, contact them and ask for a new one.

You can also contact your state health department's immunization information system (IIS). Vaccine providers are required to report COVID-19 vaccination to their state's IIS.

Once you have your vaccine record, you may want to consider other ways to protect and carry it.

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is administered at 10mg, or 1/3 of the adult dose, for children 5-11. Children 12+ receive the same dose as adults.

Yes. In Oregon, children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian when getting their vaccine. Under Oregon law, those at least 15 do not need a parent/guardian to allow medical care and may come to the appointment alone. In Washington, those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian when getting the vaccine. In Alaska, those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian when getting their vaccine.

The CDC says you can receive other vaccines and a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time. If you have concerns about your child getting multiple vaccines simultaneously, talk with your healthcare provider.

Tens of millions of the larger doses have been given safely to Americans 12 and older. One rare side effect has come to light: heart inflammation. Cases of myocarditis and pericarditis have been reported following vaccination with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. These rare reactions have occurred primarily in young men or teen boys, usually after the second dose, and they tend to recover quickly. To put the risk in context, doctors say COVID-19 infection can cause more serious heart inflammation. One theory is that testosterone and puberty play a role, which is partly why experts expect any risk to younger kids would be even lower. No cases were reported during the clinical trials of the Pfizer vaccine for children aged 5-11. Experts believe the protection offered to children between the ages of 5 and 11 by the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine "clearly outweigh" the risk of myocarditis or pericarditis.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the COVID-19 vaccine will not cause infertility or disturb puberty. There is no evidence among clinical trial participants or the millions who have received the vaccines since authorization that the vaccine can lead to loss of fertility or affect puberty.

No. The dosage amount is not based on a child's size alone. Scientists considered the typical age-related weights, how the medicine distributes through the body, and how children's immune systems differ from adults when determining the dosage for 5 to 11-year-olds. Medical experts suggest waiting until the child turns of age to receive the appropriate dosage for that age range. While you may have an adult-size 10-year-old, that doesn't necessarily mean the immune system is adult-size.

CDC said children should get the dose that is right for their age on the day of vaccination. So, if a child gets the 10-microgram dose for the first shot and then turns 12, the second shot should be the 30-microgram dose.

Pediatricians say not to postpone vaccination because the kid-size dose is still effective.

The vaccine should not be given to a child with a history of severe allergic reaction to any of its components. If this is the case, your child might be able to get another COVID-19 vaccine in the future. If you have questions or concerns, talk to your child's primary care provider to make an informed decision that’s right for you and your family.

Due to the public health emergency, the FDA has granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer vaccine in children aged 5-11 (an EUA for children 12-15 was granted in May 2021) while the manufacturer completes testing. The CDC stated that the vaccine's known and potential benefits outweigh their known and potential risks. Full FDA approval is expected at a later date. Meanwhile, the FDA requires manufacturers to continue monitoring safety and report any new issues.

Individuals 12+ who received a Pfizer vaccine are eligible for a booster shot five months or more after completing their initial series. Individuals 18+ who received a Moderna vaccine are eligible for a booster shot at five months or more after completing their initial series. For individuals 18+, the booster shot can be any available vaccines. For 12- and 17-year-olds, the booster must be Pfizer.

A second booster shot of Pfizer or Moderna is available to those 50+ who received their first booster shot four or more months ago. Those 12+ who are immunocompromised may also receive a second booster shot four or more months after their first booster shot. Children ages 12-17 may only receive the Pfizer shot at this time. 

Individuals 18+ who received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine are eligible for a booster dose at least two months after their initial shot. The first booster shot can be any of the available vaccines. A second mRNA booster is available for those who received a second dose of Johnson & Johnson four or more months ago. 

Boosters are critical because they restimulate the immune system and increase the number of antibodies. Boosters also develop antibodies against more parts of the virus than the primary COVID-19 vaccine series. The more antibodies we have, the more we are protected against omicron and other future variants of concern.

Getting boosted will reduce breakthrough cases. While breakthrough cases are possible, vaccinated and boosted patients do not present severe symptoms and generally do not require hospitalization.

Early data show that two mRNA COVID-19 vaccine doses and a booster offer the best protection against the omicron variant. In addition, studies have shown that the currently available COVID-19 vaccines do protect against the delta variant.

No. Eligible individuals may receive a booster different from their primary vaccination dose. PeaceHealth offers the Pfizer vaccine and booster, and some locations carry the Moderna vaccine and booster. PeaceHealth does not provide the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or booster (visit vaccine.gov to find a nearby location if you are interested in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine). Talk with your primary care physician if you have questions about which booster to get.

The side effects after getting a booster shot are similar to side effects after the two-shot series. After a booster shot, the most common side effects are fatigue and pain at the injection site. Like the two-shot primary series, serious side effects are rare but may occur.

Patients should not have any out-of-pocket expenses for the COVID-19 vaccine. The federal government pays for the cost of the vaccine itself regardless of immigration and insurance status. If you have public or private insurance, PeaceHealth will bill them for the cost of administering the vaccine. If you do not have insurance, the federal government offers healthcare providers a program covering vaccine administration costs.

Yes, the CDC says you can receive the flu vaccine and a COVID vaccine or booster simultaneously. If you have concerns about getting both vaccines at the same time, talk with your healthcare provider.

Additional dose: When someone with a weakened immune system gets an additional dose of vaccine, it is not a booster. It is part of the first series of shots needed to be fully vaccinated. Many people with impaired immunity did not have a full response to their first doses.

Booster shot: A booster is when someone has a full response to vaccination, but effectiveness wanes over time. The booster re-energizes their immune response.

The CDC recommends a third (and in some cases fourth) dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for some people with weakened immune systems. Moderately to severely immunocompromised people who initially received two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines should receive a third dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine at least 28 days after a second dose. If you are severely immunocompromised, talk with your doctor about next steps.

According to the CDC, immunocompromised people who got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should follow the same recommendation as everyone else who got Johnson & Johnson and choose a booster from any of the three vaccine-makers.

There are several COVID-19 treatments and therapeutics that have been approved or given emergency use authorization, including antiviral drugs, monoclonal antibodies, and immune modulators. More information about these treatments is available from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.

PeaceHealth follows the most current guidance for treating patients with COVID-19, including reviewing available recommendations from the National Institutes of Health. PeaceHealth does not offer treatment options that are not supported by robust clinical evidence, including ivermectin.

A large study found that ivermectin showed no sign of alleviating the disease and provided no benefit in other health measures like viral clearance after a week, speed of recovery or risk of death. The researchers ruled the drug out as an effective COVID-19 treatment.

Ivermectin is approved for use in people and some animals to treat some parasites. Humans should never take medications meant for animals. Taking ivermectin in any unapproved way could cause serious harm.

Learn more: Why You Should Not Use Ivermectin to Treat or Prevent COVID-19.