Get Vaccinated

Q: Do I need to bring an ID?

A: Having a state issued ID is NOT required to get the vaccine. No proof of residency or employment will be required.

Q: Is there a cost associated or do I need insurance?

A: The vaccine clinics that Pitkin County has been putting on are completely free, regardless of insurance. This may not be the case at other locations you can receive the vaccine.

Q: Are there Spanish speaking capabilities at the clinic?

A: Yes, there are multiple people who can speak Spanish.

Q: I don’t have email or internet access. How do I get a vaccination appointment?

A: You can register for the vaccine as well as schedule an appointment (when you are eligible) over the phone by calling the Pitkin County COVID-19 Helpline at 970-429-3363.

Ride to Vaccine Sites

Don’t let transportation challenges stop you (or your family and friends) from getting vaccinated. Mile High United Way’s Ride United program is providing access to free rides (up to 25 miles each way) to vaccination sites across Colorado. Dial 2-1-1 or visit 211colorado.org to learn more.

Q: Can I take time off from work to receive the vaccine?

A: Last year, Governor Polis signed the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, giving all regular employees working full-time or part-time in the state eligibility to receive paid time off by January 1st of this year for health and safety-related needs. That means the vast majority of workers have the right to take four hours of paid time off or sick leave for a vaccine appointment — even when scheduled during work hours, and use PTO while recovering from COVID-19 vaccine side effects. Employers are required to honor that right.

If your employer’s answer to “Can I take time off?” is “No,” meaning they have not allowed you to use accumulated hours of leave time to receive the vaccine or recover from vaccine side effects — or the pay rate does not match the hourly rate you would normally receive plus the same benefits, please call CDLE’s Division of Labor Standards and Statistics at (303) 318-8441 to ask questions or voice a complaint.

Q: How does COVID-19 affect children?

A: While COVID-19 causes mild illness in most children, some children do have more severe illnesses requiring hospitalization for treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in children (MIS-C), which can affect multiple organs, including the heart. Some children can also have “long COVID” with persistent symptoms for months after infection, including extreme fatigue, “brain fog,” breathing problems, and body aches. Children with preexisting conditions, such as asthma, are at higher risk to display mild to severe COVID symptoms.

Q: What measures were taken to test the COVID-19 vaccine on children?

A: Children have distinct developmental and physiological differences that affect not only their susceptibility to disease but also how their immune systems respond to health interventions. The volunteer participants were divided into three groups: ages 5 to 11; 2 to 5; and 6 months to 2 years. Children between the ages of 5 and 11 years old in the Pfizer trial received 10 micrograms, but children under age 5 only received 3 micrograms.

As children grow and change, their immune systems do too. A 6-year-old is not the same as a 16-year-old. Researchers do “age de-escalation” studies with participants placed in different groups. For example, 6-to-12-year olds, 2-to-6-year olds, and 6-month-to-2-year olds. Doses start at the lowest safest level and researchers increase them in different groups to determine whether a larger dose is more effective or whether a lower dose provides a complete response.

Q: Why should children get the COVID-19 vaccine?

A: 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. And 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.

Q: Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe for children?

In short, yes any vaccine approved by the FDA and CDC for use in children is safe. On October 29th the FDA approved a reformulation of the Pfizer vaccine for use in ages 5-11. In order to receive this approval, the vaccine has to go through a rigorous study for safety and efficacy.  On June 17, 2022 the FDA approved a pediatric Pfizer vaccine for ages 6 months to 5 years and a pediatric Moderna vaccine for ages 6 months to 5 years. 

The FDA approval means that the vaccine was safe and effective at preventing COVID-19 infection in this age group.

For any specific medical concerns regarding your child and vaccination, please consult with your pediatrician.

Q: When can my child get vaccinated?

A: Any child ages 5 and older is currently eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine. Children ages 5-11 need to seek out the pediatric Pfizer dose specifically, while those 12+ years of age should seek out the adult dosage. Please speak to providers in your area to assure which vaccines are available and to make an appointment.

Q: Why has it taken longer to gain approval for children under 12?

A: Conducting clinical trials to determine an appropriate vaccine dose in children requires additional work over that done in the adult studies, including ensuring that the vaccine dosage and formulation strength used is the appropriate one from the perspective of safety and generating an immune response.

Q: What side effects do children experience from the vaccine?

A: Children may experience mild side effects, such as soreness in the arm, fatigue, headache, or a slight fever, and most will pass in one to two days. These are signs that their body is building immunity, but even if they don’t experience any side effects, their immune system is still building protection against the virus. Serious side effects are rare and mild side-effects are common and treatable. Speak with your pediatrician before using any treatment related to vaccine side effects.

Q: What is the risk of hospitalization/death if my child is not vaccinated?

A: Although COVID-19 in children is sometimes milder than in adults, some kids infected with the coronavirus can get severe lung infections, become very sick and require hospitalization. This is especially important to remember in light of variants, which can be very contagious.

Compared to the flu, which typically kills about 100 children a year, at current rates child deaths related to COVID-19 stand at more than 200 a year. Evidence is also emerging about the long-term effects of COVID-19 on young people, including fatigue, headaches, and loss of sense of taste or smell for months, as well as long-term issues with the brain.

Q: Which children cannot be vaccinated?

A: If your child has a significant health issue – such as those resulting in a compromised immune system or severe allergic reactions – check with their physician to determine if they should be vaccinated.

Q: Should I wait for my child to get the vaccine to ensure there are no long-term effects?

A: COVID-19 vaccines have been authorized to be distributed to millions of people since December 2020 with no identified long-term side effects.

Q: How can I be sure the vaccine won’t affect my child’s development?

A: If coronavirus vaccines were to interfere with teens’ development, they would need access to their DNA. At no point does the vaccine interact with a person’s DNA or cause genetic changes because the mRNA does not enter the nucleus of the cell, which is where our DNA is kept. There’s no biological reason or proof that hormones associated with puberty can impact immune responses to coronavirus vaccines.

Q: Should I be worried about the risks for heart problems in young boys?

A: This effect is called myocarditis. Out of more than 12 million doses administered to youth ages 16 to 24, the CDC says it has 275 reports of heart inflammation following the COVID-19 vaccine. The side effect seems to be more common in teen boys and young men than in older adults and women and may occur in 16 cases for every 1 million people who got a second dose. Most of the young adults who experienced myocarditis recovered quickly. Read the full study. Myocarditis and heart inflammation is also a potential side effect of COVID-19 infection and is actually more likely due to infection than vaccination. Read the full study here.

Q: What is myocarditis, and is there a risk of myocarditis after vaccination?

A: Yes, there is a risk but a small one. Out of more than 12 million doses administered to youth ages 16 to 24, the CDC says it has 275 reports of heart inflammation following the COVID-19 vaccine. Myocarditis and heart inflammation is also a potential side effect of COVID-19 infection and is actually more likely due to infection than vaccination. Read the full study here.

Q: Could the vaccine impact my child in any serious way, such as long-term reactions to COVID-19 that don’t go away?

A: Vaccines are highly unlikely to cause side effects long after getting the shot. Science and history show that even the most serious side effects for any vaccine, including COVID-19, occur within just a few weeks.

Q: Will children need a COVID-19 vaccine to return to school in the fall?

A: Vaccination requirements for public schools vary according to state laws, and that will likely be true for COVID-19 vaccines as well. All 50 states require certain immunizations – including tetanus, measles, polio, and chickenpox vaccinations – and some states have additional requirements. While many states and school districts have not yet announced their COVID-19 vaccination policies for the fall, requirements and/or recommendations will be issued at the state, local, and district levels as officials review guidance and as more children become vaccinated. Regardless of any requirement, all children who are eligible are encouraged to get the vaccine to protect themselves and others from catching and spreading the virus.

Q: Should vaccinated people worry they are spreading the virus?

A:

• It’s important to remember breakthrough infections occur in only a small proportion of vaccinated people and of the breakthrough infections, transmission by the vaccinated appears to only be a small part of overall spread of the virus.
• In areas of substantial and high transmission, CDC recommends that vaccinated people should wear a mask in public indoor settings to prevent spread and protect themselves and others.

Q: Does this mean the vaccines aren’t working as we expected?

A: No, the 162+ million fully vaccinated Americans have a very strong degree of protection against variants. They are overwhelmingly avoiding severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Unvaccinated individuals account for virtually all the hospitalizations and death in the U.S.

Despite seeing cases numbers similar to the surge we experienced last summer, deaths are down more than 70% thanks to vaccination. This is further proof that getting fully vaccinated is the best thing you can do to protect yourself and those around you.

Q: If you are vaccinated but asymptomatic, can you spread the virus?

A: The CDC does not have data to inform the likelihood of asymptomatic spread among vaccinated people, but expect that it would be relatively low.