Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine

Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine

Vaccine Walk-insEligibility

Anyone age 12 and older is eligible to be vaccinated, regardless of residency. Learn about vaccines for people 12-15 years old.

Get your free vaccine without an appointment!

    Find a walk-in clinic here

    If you are 12 - 17 years old and are getting vaccinated at a walk-in clinic (without an appointment), look for clinics that offer the Pfizer vaccine and bring a parent or guardian with you.

    ASL interpretation (video remote interpreting) is available at all state-run vaccination clinics.
     

      Make an appointment for a free vaccine

      ONLINE

      Make An appointment

      Use the blue button above to make an appointment through the state website, which includes clinics run by the Health Department, the National Guard, health care partners, Costco, Hannaford, Price Chopper, Rite Aid, Shaws and Walmart. You will make your second-dose appointment when you get your first dose.

      BY PHONE
      Call us at 855-722-7878 Monday - Friday, 8:15 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

      • To speak with someone in a language other than English, call this number, and then press 1.
      • For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, you can make a TTY call to this number.
      Information you need to make an appointment

      Please make only one appointment per person at a time. If you don't show up to your appointment vaccine may be spoiled. 

        You'll be asked to give:

        • name (you do not need to show identification)
        • date of birth
        • address
        • email address, if you have one
        • phone number

        You will also be asked some medical questions about whether you:

        • have any history of allergic reaction to vaccines or injectable therapies
        • are currently sick with COVID-19
        • have a weakened immune system
        • are breastfeeding or lactating

        See Tips for Making a COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment

        Read answers to common questions, like what to expect at your appointment, requesting an ASL interpreter, and rescheduling an appointment.

        Watch a video to help you make an appointment

        See videos on:

        • How to make your COVID-19 appointment online
        • Adding a dependent or spouse to your account
         
        When to talk to your health care provider

        Talk with your health care provider if you've had an immediate allergic reaction to any other vaccine, injectable therapy, or polysorbate, or if you have questions about whether getting the vaccine is right for you because of health conditions, allergies, or other vaccines you've received recently.

        People 12 - 17 years old

        If you are 12 - 17 years old and are making an appointment online through the Health Department website, you will only see appointments for the Pfizer vaccine since that is the only vaccine that is authorized for people age 12 - 17 years old. 

        Certain pharmacies, including CVS and Kinney Drugs, are also offering the Pfizer vaccine to this age group, and some have walk-in opportunities.

        For the state appointment system and appointments made through CVS, you will either need to:

        Some of the school-located vaccine clinics have other ways of making sure consent is given, and you can learn about that from your school or school district.

        Walgreens requires a parent or guardian to be present and give consent at the appointment.

        What You Need to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines for Kids
        Arabic | Burmese | Chinese – Simplified | Chinese - Traditional | English | French | Hindi | Karen | Kirundi | Nepali Portuguese | Somali | Spanish | Swahili | Thai | Tibetan | Vietnamese

        The Science Behind the COVID-19 Vaccine: Parent FAQs (American Academy of Pediatrics)

        Appointments at Pharmacies

        You can also get an appointment at Kinney Drugs, CVS, Walgreens, Northfield Pharmacy, or UVMMC Outpatient Pharmacies.

        Special Locations for Certain Groups

        People who are homebound

        Homebound means you are not able to leave your home for scheduled medical or non-medical appointments. If you are currently eligible to get the vaccine and are homebound, you will be able to get the vaccine in your home.

        • If you are in the service of a local home health agency, the agency will reach out to you to schedule an appointment.
        • If you are not in the service of a home health agency, you may request an appointment by calling 802-863-7240 (toll-free 833-722-0860) Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
        Clinic options for Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC)

        bipoc Household focused clinics

        If you or anyone in your household identifies as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color (BIPOC), including anyone with Abenaki or other First Nations heritage, all household members who are 12 years or older have the option to get vaccinated at a BIPOC-focused community clinic.

        • You can make an make an appointment online at community vaccination sites or by calling the Health Department at 855-722-7878. Or
        • You can make an appointment at BIPOC-focused community clinics led by partners in the Burlington area using the forms or phone numbers below. Or 
        • You can make an appointment at a pharmacy (link is external). 

        To sign up in the Burlington area, please fill out the Burlington BIPOC COVID Vaccination form (link is external)coordinated by the VT Racial Justice Alliance, The Black Perspective, the New Alpha Ministry Baptist Church, the UVM VT LEND Program, and the Vermont Professionals of Color Network. If you prefer to schedule your appointment by phone, you can contact the Burlington Resource and Recovery Center at 802-755-7239.

        The BIPOC household focused clinics led by the Windham County NAACP (link is external)in Brattleboro, Bennington and Rutland and the Racial Justice Alliance (link is external) and the Vermont Professionals of Color Network (link is external) in Burlington will continue for eligible BIPOC members and their households who would prefer to receive their COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic that is dedicated to this community.

        Learn more about working toward equity

        Clinic options for English language learners and people in immigrant/refugee communities
        Islamic Society COVID-19 Vaccine ClinicThere are community-specific clinics for people who are English language learners or immigrant/refugee community members. If you are age 12 or older, you can choose to register for one of these clinics.

        Please call the Association of Africans Living in Vermont (AALV) at (802) 985-3106 or the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants of Vermont (USCRI VT) at (802) 655-1963 to register.

        If you are eligible for vaccination, you can also make an appointment by calling 855-722-7878. Press 1 if you need interpretation services.

        Learn more about working toward equity

        After Your Vaccine

        Second dose

        The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines require two doses for you to be fully protected against COVID-19. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a single-dose vaccine.

        • If you get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, you should get the dose 2 about 21 days after the dose 1.
        • If you get the Moderna vaccine, you should get the dose 2 about 28 days after the dose 1. 

        If you miss your second dose, please get it as soon as you can.

        Find out why you need two doses

        Making a second dose appointment

        If you make your appointment through the Health Department website and are getting a vaccine that requires two doses, clinic staff will schedule your dose 2 appointment before you leave your dose 1 appointment. You can also schedule your own dose 2 appointment online or by calling 855-722-7878, but only after you go to your dose 1 appointment.

        If you make your appointment with a pharmacy partner that has their own appointment website, they may do things a bit differently:

        • Kinney Drugs schedules second dose appointments at the first dose appointment.
        • CVS allows you to schedule first and second doses at the same time. Or you can schedule only dose 2. Your dose 1 doesn’t have to be from CVS. You will need select which vaccine you got for dose 1 to make sure you get same vaccine type for dose 2.
        • Walgreens allows you to schedule dose 1 and dose 2 at the same time, but only if dose 2 appointments are available. Otherwise, neither dose appointments can be schedule. Or you can just schedule dose 2 and you will need select which vaccine you got for dose 1 to make sure you get same vaccine type for dose 2.

        Keep your second dose appointment

        We urge you not to cancel your dose 2 appointment unless it is absolutely necessary, like an injury or illness. This will help make sure you get your second dose with the same vaccine and on the recommended schedule. If you reschedule your dose 2 appointment, you may need to wait longer or travel farther than you prefer. Also, cancellations and unplanned no-shows could cause the vaccine to be spoiled.

        If you made your appointment through the Health Department and you must cancel or reschedule, call 855-722-7878 or go online to cancel or reschedule your appointment. You won’t be able to cancel or reschedule your dose 2 appointment until it is 3 days before your scheduled appointment.

        If you made your appointment at a pharmacy through their appointment website, contact the pharmacy.

          Side effects

          What should I know about side effects?

          Side effects from the vaccine are normal signs that your body is building protection against COVID-19. They might even affect your daily activities but should go away in a few days. Some people have no side effects. Common side effects are:

          • Pain, swelling or redness on the arm where you got the shot 
          • Tiredness 
          • Headache 
          • Chills 
          • Muscle or joint pain 
          • Fever 
          • Nausea or vomiting 

          What to do about side effects: 

          • After your vaccine, you can take pain relievers for any side effects you may have from the vaccine to help you feel better. Don't take them before you get the vaccine to prevent side effects. 
          • Call your health care or vaccine provider if side effects are worrying you or if they don’t go away after a few days. 
          • If you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and develop a severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks of receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine immediately contact your health care provider.
          • You can use V-safe to tell the CDC about any side effects and to get reminders for your second dose. V-safe is an optional smartphone tool that uses text messages and web surveys to provide personalized check-ins. If you don’t have a smart phone, a family member can sign up for you. Learn more and register at cdc.gov/vsafe (Available in English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese or Korean).
          • If you have a bad reaction after getting vaccinated, you or your health care provider can report it to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). Call 1-800-822-7967 or go to vaers.hhs.gov/reportevent.html.
          What can I do once I am vaccinated?

          You are fully vaccinated 14 days after your final shot. Once you are fully vaccinated, you can go back to doing all the activities you did before the pandemic. However, if you have a condition or take medications that weaken your immune system, you may not be fully protected even if you are fully vaccinated. Talk to your health care provider about whether you should continue taking all precautions.

          Until you are fully vaccinated, you can choose to follow the prevention steps to reduce the risk of getting or spreading COVID-19.

          Health care settings may follow separate guidance. Read CDC's guidance for health care workers. 

          Read CDC's guidance for health care workers

          If you are a close contact of someone with COVID-19, as long as you do not have symptoms and are not in a health care setting:

          • You do not need to seek testing.
          • You do not need to quarantine.

          More information

          Immunization Clinic Consent Form - See translations
          Prevaccination Checklist for COVID-19 Vaccine - See translations

          Vaccine factsheets