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1. When will I get my vaccine?

Even though we have two vaccines approved for emergency use, it will still take time before everyone can get it. There are currently a limited number of vaccine doses available to states from the federal government. This means there is not enough vaccine for everyone who wants one yet.

The goal for the first, limited doses of COVID-19 vaccine is to immunize for impact – meaning Minnesota is offering vaccine to those at highest risk of getting COVID-19 and those most at risk of severe disease and complications if they get COVID-19. The first groups to get vaccinated include health care workers and people who live and work in long-term care facilities. Those people will be contacted by their employer or facility when they are able to get vaccinated. More information on the next eligible groups will be available in the coming weeks.

Minnesota is also vaccinating a limited number of adults ages 65 and older as well as educators (pre-kindergarten through Grade 12), school staff and childcare workers. Because of limited vaccine supply, there are only a small number of appointments available. For more information, see Stay Safe MN: Who’s Getting Vaccinated.

2. Where can I get the latest information regarding vaccine distribution in Minnesota?

Please visit the Minnesota Department of Health’s COVID-19 Vaccine webpage, https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/vaccine.html. You may also call the Minnesota Helpline at 1-800-657-3504.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also have information about the COVID-19 vaccines, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/.

You may also call the City of Edina’s vaccine hotline, 952-903-5777, for a recorded message with current local information.

3. Is the vaccine safe?

Having a safe and effective vaccine is the top priority. All vaccines go through clinical trials to test their safety and effectiveness, including vaccines for COVID-19. The manufacturers must present data that shows the vaccine is safe and that it works before it is approved for general populations. 

This data is reviewed by scientific groups at the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). After a vaccine is authorized or approved for use, many safety monitoring systems are in place to watch for possible side effects. This monitoring is critical to help ensure the benefits continue to outweigh the risks for people who receive vaccines.

4. Will the COVID-19 vaccine be required?

Minnesota will not require COVID-19 vaccines. The COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for use under an Emergency Use Authorization by the Food and Drug Administration. You have the right to refuse or accept the COVID-19 vaccine. The Bloomington Public Health Division, which provides public health services to the City of Edina, strongly encourages you to get the COVID-19 vaccine if it is available to you. Getting the COVID-19 vaccine will help protect you, your family, co-workers, friends and the larger community.

5. How many shots of COVID-19 vaccine will be needed?

The currently authorized vaccines to prevent COVID-19 in the United States require two shots to get the most protection:

• Pfizer-BioNTech doses should be given three weeks (21 days) apart
• Moderna doses should be given one month (28 days) apart

You should get your second shot as close to the recommended 21- or 28-day interval as possible. 

Additional COVID-19 vaccines are in Phase 3 clinical trials.

6. Will a COVID-19 vaccination protect me from getting sick with COVID-19?

Yes. COVID-19 vaccination works by teaching your immune system how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19, and this protects you from getting sick with COVID-19.

Being protected from getting sick is important because even though many people with COVID-19 have only a mild illness, others may get a severe illness, have long-term health effects or even die. There is no way to know how COVID-19 will affect you, even if you don’t have an increased risk of developing severe complications.

7. How long does it take after getting the COVID-19 vaccine until you have protection?

Two doses are needed for the two COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. The time between the doses depends on the vaccine you are getting. The Pfizer vaccine must be given 21 days (three weeks) apart and the Moderna vaccine must be given 28 days apart (four weeks).

It is very important that you get both vaccine doses, the same product for each dose, and that the doses are given at the correct time apart. The vaccine is only fully effective with both doses of vaccine. If someone only gets one dose, they may not be protected (immune) against COVID-19. 

After the second dose, it takes about two weeks for your body to build up protection, so it’s about six weeks total from the first vaccine dose to when you should be fully protected.

8. What if I have a weakened immune system?

COVID-19 vaccines may be given to people with underlying medical conditions provided they have not had a severe or immediate allergic reaction to any of the ingredients in the vaccine. While people in this category may receive the vaccine, they should be aware of the limited safety data. Visit the CDC’s website to learn more.

9. How much will the COVID-19 vaccine cost?

The federal government covers the cost of the COVID-19 vaccine; it will be provided to people at no cost. 

Providers will be able to charge an administration fee. You may be asked for your health insurance information when you get the vaccine. However, this is for the provider’s reimbursement only. There is no cost to you. 

10. Can I get a vaccine through Minnesota's community program?

A limited number of vaccines are available through a statewide COVID-19 vaccine community program for Minnesotans 65 and older, pre-kindergarten through Grade 12 educators and childcare workers. 

Minnesotans who are eligible for this program are asked to pre-register by calling toll free at 833-431-2053 or visit mn.gov/findmyvaccine.

11. Will the vaccine be live or inactivated?

Messenger RNA vaccines – also called mRNA vaccines – are a new type of vaccine to protect against infectious diseases. mRNA vaccines do not use the live virus that causes COVID-19. 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.

12. What are the ingredients in COVID-19 vaccines?

The two COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States do not contain eggs, preservatives or latex. For a full list of ingredients, please see each vaccine’s Fact Sheet for Recipients and Caregivers:

• Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
• Moderna COVID-19 vaccine

13. Do I need to get the vaccine if I’ve already had COVID-19 and recovered?

Yes. Due to the severe health risks associated with COVID-19 and the fact that reinfection with COVID-19 is possible, you should be vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19 infection. If you were treated for COVID-19 symptoms with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, you should wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Talk to your doctor if you are unsure what treatments you received or if you have more questions about getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

Experts do not yet know how long someone is protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19. The immunity someone gains from having an infection, called “natural immunity,” varies from person to person. It is rare for someone who has had COVID-19 to get infected again. It is also uncommon for people who get COVID-19 to get it within 90 days of when they recovered from their first infection. We won’t know how long immunity produced by vaccination lasts until we have more data on how well the vaccines work.

14. Which last longer, immunity after getting COVID-19 or protection from COVID-19 vaccines?

The protection someone gains from having an infection (called “natural immunity”) varies, depending on the disease. It also varies from person to person. Because this virus is new, we don’t know how long natural immunity might last. Current evidence suggests that getting the virus again (reinfection) is uncommon in the 90 days after the first infection with the virus that causes COVID-19.

We won’t know how long immunity lasts after vaccination until we have more data on how well COVID-19 vaccines work in real-world conditions. Experts are working to learn more about both natural immunity and vaccine-induced immunity.

15. Do I need to wear a mask and avoid close contact with others if I have received two doses of the vaccine?

Yes. While experts learn more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide under real-life conditions, it will be important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to us to help stop this pandemic, like wearing a face mask, washing hands often, staying at least six feet away from others and avoiding crowds.