COVID-19 Resources

While COVID-19 brought on many challenges, our mission to enable all people, especially those who need us most, reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens has not changed. Although we have had to transition how we serve our kids and community, we have been successful thanks to great partnerships and collaborations.

To view our COVID-19 Safety Plan, please visit our page dedicated to this important plan.

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Below you will find information about the COVID-19 Vaccines, resources that you and others can access, as well as educational sites for more information on the COVID-19 virus. To download and save/print an Infosheet of the information below, click here.

Get your vaccine today

The 3 links below can help you find the vaccine you want, near you, at the time you need.

If you need more assistance in getting your vaccine, or have questions, you can contact the Philadelphia Health Department's COVID-19 call center at 215-685-5488 or email COVID@phila.gov.

Vaccine FAQs

Answers are provided by the Philadelphia Immunization Program, of the Department of Public Health.

How does the COVID-19 vaccine work?

The COVID-19 vaccine is a medicine that helps your immune system fight the COVID-19 virus. It comes in the form of two injections.

1. The first injection primes your immune system, helping it recognize the virus.

2. The second injection strengthens your immune response. After receiving both injections, the vaccine will greatly reduce your chances of getting sick.

The interval between the two doses is 21-28 days, depending on the vaccine brand.

Are you injecting the virus?

No. The COVID-19 vaccine contains incomplete pieces of the COVID-19 virus. None of the COVID-19 vaccines contain live COVID-19 virus.

Is a COVID-19 vaccine necessary?

It is strongly recommended. The vaccine decreases your chances of getting sick from the COVID-19 virus. It also reduces the spread of the virus, and helps keep your family, neighbors, and friends safe.

Has the vaccine been tested?

Yes. The vaccine has been tested in large clinical trials of 43,000 and 30,000 volunteers who had diverse races and ethnicities. It was approved by an Emergency Use Authorization after these trials showed that it was safe and prevented COVID-19 illness in about 95% of people who received the vaccine. Safety will continue to be monitored closely as more people get the vaccine.

Can I get COVID-19 after getting vaccinated?

The COVID-19 vaccine greatly reduces your chances of getting sick, but it is not perfect. We also won’t know how long immunity lasts until we have more data. If you are exposed to the virus, we still don’t know if you can pass the virus to others, even if you do not get sick. For these reasons, please continue to wear a mask and social distance after receiving the vaccine.

What are the potential side-effects?

Potential short-term side effects include a sore arm, general muscle aches, headache, fatigue, chills, and fever. These side effects are signals that your immune system is working.

Do I need the vaccine if I had COVID-19?

Yes. We do not know how long someone is protected after getting COVID-19, and so recommend getting the vaccine. However, getting infected again within 90 days is uncommon, so if you had a recent COVID-19 infection you can delay vaccination until the end of this period or get the vaccine as soon as you have been cleared from isolation.

How much does the COVID-19 vaccine cost?

The vaccine is free to all US residents, regardless of whether you have insurance. If you do have insurance, your healthcare provider may bill the insurer for an administration fee, but you do not need to pay anything out of pocket.

Helpful Links for more information

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