Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine

Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine

Make an appointment for your first, second or booster dose through a pharmacy | the Health Department | your health care provider.

Eligible for a booster shot?

Johnson & Johnson
You can get a booster shot if you received your vaccine at least two months ago.

Moderna and Pfizer
You can get a booster shot if you received your second dose of vaccine at least six months ago and are

  • 65 or older.
  • 18 or older with certain medical conditions.
  • 18 or older who work in a high-risk setting.
  • 18 or older and are Black, Indigenous or a person of color (BIPOC) or are age 18 or older and live with someone who is BIPOC.
Eligible based on certain medical conditions

People 18 years or older with certain medical conditions that put them at high risk of getting severely ill with COVID-19 will be eligible to get a booster shot if they have gotten their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at least six months ago. The medical conditions are:

  • Cancer, including history of cancer 
  • Chronic kidney disease 
  • Chronic lung diseases, including COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma (moderate to severe), emphysema, chronic bronchitis, interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension 
  • Dementia or other neurological conditions 
  • Diabetes (type 1 or type 2) 
  • Down syndrome, and other chromosomal disorders, such as intellectual disabilities (IQ of 70 or below), disabilities that compromise lung function (neurological and muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, multiple sclerosis) 
  • Heart conditions (such as heart failure, coronary heart disease, cardiomyopathies, or hypertension) 
  • HIV infection 
  • Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) 
  • Liver disease 
  • Overweight and obesity 
  • Pregnancy 
  • Sickle cell disease or thalassemia 
  • Smoking, current or former 
  • Solid organ or blood stem cell transplant 
  • Stroke or cerebrovascular disease, which affects blood flow to the brain 
  • Substance use disorders 
Eligible based on high-risk work setting

People age 18 and older who are more likely to be exposed to or spread COVID because of where they work are also eligible for a booster. This means people who work indoors, where they are exposed to the public and to other workers. Examples include:

  • First responders (firefighters, police)
  • Health care workers
  • Education and higher education staff (teachers, support staff, child care workers)
  • Food and agriculture workers
  • Manufacturing workers
  • Corrections workers
  • U.S. Postal Service Workers
  • Public transit workers
  • Grocery store workers
  • Food service workers

Those who live or work in congregate settings will also be eligible. This includes long-term care facilities, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, and college students who live in congregate settings (with other students).

See Frequently Asked Questions about boosters

getting a booster vaccine type different from your original vaccine

Once you are eligible for a booster shot, no matter which vaccine you got originally, your booster can be the vaccine type of your choice: Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson.

Where to Get Your booster Shot, first or second dose

Anyone age 12 and older is eligible to be vaccinated regardless of residency.

Use the map to find a site near you! Prefer a text listing? See Vaccine Clinics listing.

Vaccine clinics

If you are 12 to 17 years old, look for clinics that offer the Pfizer vaccine and bring a parent or guardian with you.

ASL interpretation is available by video at all state-run vaccination clinics.

For the vaccine types available at a site (Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson) all dose types - first, second and booster - are available.

Appointments through the Health DepartmentClick to see map
If you choose to get a different vaccine type for your booster than the type you first got, you cannot make a booster appointment through the Health Department until November 1.
 

Phone
Call the Health Department at 855-722-7878, Mon - Fri 8:15 am - 4:30 pm, Sat and Sun 10:00 am - 3:00 pm.
- 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 by dialing 711 or 1-800-253-0195.

Online
If you used the Health Department website to get your second dose, you can make your appointment online. People who are eligible by work or medical conditions may need to update their details in the registration system before being able to make an appointment. To do this, after logging in, go to the Dependent/Household Member/Client tab and click the UPDATE DETAILS button. (On a phone, first click "More".)

Make An appointment

Information about appointments

INFORMATION YOU NEED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

You'll be asked to give your:

  • 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 received passive antibody therapy as a treatment for COVID-19
  • have a weakened immune system
  • are breastfeeding or lactating

Please make only one appointment per person at a time.

See Tips for Making a COVID-19 Vaccine 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
 

Appointments through Pharmacies
Visit their website to find out about appointments at Costco, CVS, Hannaford, Kinney Drugs, Price Chopper/Market 32, Rite Aid, Shaws, Walgreens, Walmart.

Pharmacies by town

If you are 12 to 17 years old, look for clinics that offer the Pfizer vaccine and bring a parent or guardian with you.

Barre
CVS, Kinney Drugs, Walgreens, Walmart

Bellows Falls
Walgreens

Bennington
CVS, Hannaford Food and Drug, Price Chopper, Walgreens, Walmart

Berlin
Shaws, Walmart

Bethel
Rite Aid

Bomoseen
Kinney Drugs

Bradford
Hannaford, Kinney Drugs

Brandon
Walgreens

Brattleboro
Rite Aid, Walgreens

Bristol
Walgreens

Burlington
CVS, Hannaford, Kinney Drugs, Market 32, Rite Aid, Shaws, Walgreens

Cambridge
Kinney Drugs

Colchester
Costco, CVS, Shaws, Walgreens

Derby
Walmart

Enosburg Falls
Walgreens

Essex Junction
CVS, Hannaford, Kinney Drugs, Price Chopper, Walgreens

Fair Haven
Walgreens

Hardwick
Walgreens

Hinesburg
Kinney Drugs

Ludlow
Rite Aid

Lyndonville
Kinney Drugs, Walgreens

Manchester Center
Walgreens

Middlebury
Hannaford, Kinney Drugs, Walgreens

Milton
Hannaford, Kinney Drugs, Walgreens

Montpelier
Kinney Drugs, Walgreens

Morrisville
CVS, Hannaford, Kinney Drugs, Walgreens

Newport
Kinney Drugs, Walgreens

Randolph
Kinney Drugs, Rite Aid

Rutland
CVS, Hannaford, Price Chopper, Walgreens, Walmart

South Burlington
CVS, Hannaford, Kinney Drugs, Walgreens

Shelburne
Kinney Drugs, Walgreens

Springfield
Rite Aid

St. Albans
Hannaford, Kinney Drugs, Price Chopper, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Walmart

St. Johnsbury
Kinney Drugs, Walgreens

Vergennes
Kinney Drugs

Waterbury
Kinney Drugs, Shaws

West Rutland
Walgreens

Williston
CVS, Hannaford, Shaws, Walgreens, Walmart

Wilmington
Walgreens

Windsor
Rite Aid

Winooski
Walgreens

Appointments through Health Care Provider
You can contact your health care provider about getting a vaccine.

BEFORE YOU GET YOUR VACCINE

  • If you are sick, even with a mild illness, you should not get vaccinated. Stay home and get tested for COVID-19.
  • If you currently have COVID-19, please wait until you have recovered before getting vaccinated. 
  • If you had COVID-19 and are recovered, you can get the vaccine or choose to wait for up to three months. It is uncommon to get infected with COVID-19 again within the first three months of your initial infection.
  • If you had monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma as part of COVID-19 treatment, wait for at least 90 days before getting the vaccine to avoid interfering with your treatment.
  • If you are under quarantine, you can leave quarantine to get your vaccine, but if you have symptoms, stay home and get tested for COVID-19. 
  • If you have COVID-19 and are in isolation, you will need to wait to get your first or second dose until you are able to end your isolation.
  • You can get the COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines at the same time.
  • You do not need to get tested for COVID-19 before getting the vaccine, unless you have symptoms. Then stay home and get tested for COVID-19.
  • If you are getting a booster, second or additional dose, remember to bring your vaccine card.
People 12 to 17 years old

You can get a vaccine at a walk-in clinic (without an appointment) or you can make an appointment. Be sure you are getting the Pfizer vaccine since that is the only vaccine that is authorized for people age 12 to 17. A child must have reached their 12th birthday to be eligible.

If you are making an appointment online through the state website, you will only see appointments for the Pfizer vaccine. 

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

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

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)

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.

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 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)

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 household focused clinic.

  • You can make an appointment online at community vaccination sites or by calling the Health Department at 855-722-7878, 
    • If you get an online message that says "not qualified" this means that you once registered outside of the online registration system, for example through a BIPOC or specialty clinic. If you see the message, to register, please call 1-855-722-7878.

   OR

  • You can make an appointment at a pharmacy.

Learn more about working toward equity

Clinic options for English language learners and people in immigrant/refugee communities

There 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. If you are 18 or older you can register for a booster shot.

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

ADDITIONAL DOSE

Additional doses are different from booster shots in that they are recommended for people with specific immune system weaknesses who received two doses of either Pfizer or Moderna at least 28 days ago. Find out more about additional doses.


Frequently asked questions

Before Your Vaccine

After Your Vaccine

Resources and FORMS