Currently, there are three vaccines authorized for use and available in Southern Nevada. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are a two-dose series. If you receive either of these vaccines, you will need to receive the second dose three to four weeks after your first dose, depending on the vaccine product you received. If you receive the Janssen vaccine you will only need one dose of the vaccine. All three vaccines are safe and highly effective.
Wearing a mask is recommended if you are not yet fully vaccinated. People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the single-dose Janssen vaccine or the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.
Vaccine provided by the Southern Nevada Health District will be provided at no cost at this time. If you have insurance, your provider will be charged only for the cost of administering the vaccine. You will not receive a bill for the vaccine. If you are vaccinated at another provider, it is important to know they may charge an administration fee for giving the vaccine to you. This fee can be reimbursed by your insurance or Medicare/Medicaid.
Yes, you should be vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19. That’s because experts do not yet know how long you are protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19. Even if you have already recovered from COVID-19, it is possible—although rare—that you could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 again. Learn more about why getting vaccinated is a safer way to build protection than getting infected.
If you were treated for COVID-19 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 are still learning more about how long vaccines protect against COVID-19 in real-world conditions. CDC will keep the public informed as new evidence becomes available.
Stopping a pandemic requires using all the tools available. Vaccines work with your immune system so your body will be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed. Other steps, like covering your mouth and nose with a mask and staying at least 3 feet away from others (the CDC recommends 6 feet), help reduce your chance of being exposed to the virus or spreading it to others. Together, COVID-19 vaccination and following CDC’s recommendations to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from COVID-19.
The CDC recommends pregnant women consult with their health care providers about the risks and benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
Under the Emergency Use Authorization, the Pfizer vaccine can be used in people age 12 and older and the Moderna and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccines can be used in people age 18 and older. The safety and efficacy for children under 12 will be determined at a later date.
There are currently no other vaccines that will prevent COVID-19. A flu vaccine will not protect you from getting COVID-19, but it can prevent you from getting influenza (flu) at the same time as COVID-19. This can keep you from having a more severe illness.
The protection someone gains from having an infection (called “natural immunity”) varies depending on the disease, and it 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. CDC will keep the public informed as new evidence becomes available.
Experts do not know what percentage of people would need to get vaccinated to achieve herd immunity to COVID-19. Herd immunity (community immunity) is a term used to describe when enough people have protection—either from previous infection or vaccination—that it is unlikely a virus or bacteria can spread and cause disease. As a result, everyone within the community is protected even if some people don’t have any protection themselves. The percentage of people who need to have protection in order to achieve community immunity varies by disease.
Delay travel until you are fully vaccinated. If you are not fully vaccinated and must travel, follow CDC’s recommendations for unvaccinated people.
People who are fully vaccinated with an FDA-authorized vaccine or a vaccine authorized for emergency use by the World Health Organization can travel safely within the United States. Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread COVID-19. However, international travel poses additional risks, and even fully vaccinated travelers might be at increased risk for getting and possibly spreading some COVID-19 variants.
The COVID-19 situation, including the spread of new or concerning variants, differs from country to country. All travelers need to pay close attention to the conditions at their destination before traveling.
Visit www.snhd.info/covid-vaccine for a list of vaccination clinics operated by the Southern Nevada Health District, its partners and other community organizations. People 12 and older can take their shot at a clinic offering the Pfizer vaccine, while anyone 18 and older can take their shot at a clinic offering the two-dose Moderna vaccine or single-dose Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine. If an appointment is required, click the Book Now button to schedule. Walk-ins are accepted at several clinics as noted on that page.
If you lost your vaccination card and need the information for work, travel, or personal interest, you can obtain a copy of your immunization records from the Nevada WebIZ Public Access Portal. Answer a few quick questions and immediately download your record. Visit https://izrecord.nv.gov. If additional assistance is needed, call 1-800-401-0946.