The CDC's VaccineFinder tool helps you find vaccines in your area. Just enter your ZIP code.

You can also find the tool and more information on the Oregon Health Authority's "How to find a COVID-19 Vaccine in Oregon" page.

The Oregon COVID-19 Vaccine Spotter tool will help you find a vaccine at an Oregon pharmacy. (Go to VaccineSpotter.org to use the tool for other states.)

You can also check pharmacy sites. Walk-in vaccinations and same-day appointments are available.

• Albertsons/Safeway
• Bi-Mart
• Costco
• CVS
• Fred Meyer
• Health Mart
• QFC
• Rite-Aid
• Walgreens
• Walmart

Text your ZIP code to 438229 (GETVAX), and you'll get a list of nearby locations with vaccines. Find more information at Vaccines.gov.

If you got your shot at an OHSU site (except for the Oregon Convention Center):

• Log into your MyChart account.
• Click “Your menu.” Under “My Record,” click on “COVID-19.” You can also type “covid” in the search box to quickly find the COVID-19 menu item.
• If you don’t have a MyChart account, call us at 833-647-8222 to have your record printed and mailed to you.

If you got your shot at the Oregon Convention Center:

• Log into your Legacy MyHealth account. Go to the menu.  Under "My Record," you will find COVID-19 with your vaccination record. 

OHSU students and employees:

• Log into the OHSU Occupational Health Portal  and look for “Print COVID Record.” Please note that if you want your COVID record to be included in your overall medical records, you will need to share it with your primary care provider.

Others:

• Contact your vaccine provider.
• If you can’t reach the provider, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises contacting your state’s health information system.
   
  • Oregon: Find record-request forms, call 800-980-9431 or email OHD.Alert@state.or.us.
  • Washington: Learn how to access your family’s immunization information, call 866-397-0337 or email  WAIISRecords@doh.wa.gov.
  • See information for other states.

For people enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan:

• Ride to Care (Health Share of Oregon members): 503-416-3955 or 855-321-4899
• MTM (Trillium members): 877-583-1552
• Tri-County MedLink (Oregon Health Plan Fee for Service members): 800-889-8726

For some others:

• Ride Connection (weekdays, older adults and people with disabilities in Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties): 503-226-0700
• TriMet LIFT (people unable to use regular buses and trains because of disability; enroll before scheduling): 503-962-8000
• One Call (Providence Medicare members): 866-733-8994

• Text ORCOVID to 898211 for updates (English and Spanish only)
• Email ORCOVID@211info.org
• Call 211 or 866-698-6155, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day
• TTY: Call 711 or 866-698-6155
• Help for people with disabilities or who speak a language other than English: Call 971-673-2411 or email COVID19.LanguageAccess@dhsoha.state.or.us

• COVID-19 Vaccine in Oregon
• COVID-19 Vaccine Information by County
• Scam advisory: Providers and public health officials will never ask for money or for your bank account, credit card or Social Security number. Any offer to sell or ship vaccine doses is also a scam.

• Every Oregonian age 12 and older is eligible for a vaccine.
• A vaccine will help protect you and your family from getting COVID-19.
• The Food and Drug Administration has given emergency-use authorization to three vaccines: by Pfizer-BioNTech, by Moderna and by Johnson & Johnson.
• The Pfizer vaccine is approved for ages 12 and older. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are approved for ages 18 and older. The FDA needs more data to know if the vaccines are safe for younger people.
• The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses — Pfizer's three to four weeks apart and Moderna's four weeks apart. Johnson & Johnson's vaccine is one dose.
• If you miss the recommended time frame for your second dose, schedule it as soon as you can. You do not have to start over with another first dose. Learn more in the FAQ below titled "I missed the recommended time frame for my second dose. Should I still get it?"
• Experts have placed a high priority on making sure the vaccines are safe and effective. All three vaccines approved so far were found to be highly effective in clinical trials.
• Vaccines are provided at no cost to you. The federal government is buying doses to provide free of charge.
• It’s important to continue safety practices until you are fully vaccinated (two weeks after your final dose): Wear a mask, maintain physical distance, and wash your hands often.

All three vaccines spur the body to make antibodies that specifically fight the coronavirus. Antibodies are made by white blood cells and are part of the immune system — the body’s system to fight infection.

Pfizer and Moderna:

These vaccines send a snippet of genetic material from the coronavirus — instructions called messenger RNA or mRNA — into  cells. The instructions tell the cells to make a harmless spike protein like the one on the coronavirus.

The body’s immune system recognizes that this protein doesn’t belong here. It activates white blood cells to form the infection-fighting antibodies. The immune system also remembers the spike protein, so it's ready to fight the real coronavirus should it become present in the body.

Once the proteins are made, the body destroys the mRNA.

Johnson & Johnson: 

This is a viral vector vaccine. Specifically, it’s a type called an adenovirus vector vaccine or an adenovector vaccine.

Like the mRNA vaccines, the vaccine uses a snippet of genetic material from the coronavirus to tell cells to make spike proteins. The spike proteins activate the immune system.

In this case, though, instructions are in DNA delivered in a virus called an adenovirus. Normally, this virus causes the common cold. It is NOT the coronavirus.

The adenovirus is genetically altered. The virus cannot make copies of itself, and it cannot cause illness. The virus is just a carrier (vector). The DNA cannot change your DNA.

After vaccination with any of these vaccines:

• If you contract the coronavirus, your immune system is better able to attack it, making you less likely to develop COVID-19.
• Based on knowledge of other illnesses, health experts expect that if you do develop COVID-19, you will be less likely to become seriously ill.
• Your immune system knows how to fight the coronavirus without having come in contact with it.

Learn more:

• Understanding mRNA Vaccines, CDC
• Understanding Viral Vector COVID-19 Vaccines, CDC
• Understanding how COVID-19 Vaccines Work, CDC
• How Nine Covid-19 Vaccines work, The New York Times

To start your protection as soon as possible, you should be vaccinated as soon as possible. This means getting any of the vaccines that are available to you.

You can look on this page, in the information with each vaccination site, to see the vaccine(s) available at each site. You can also filter by vaccine in the CDC VaccineFinder tool. 

The Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have all been found to be highly effective. In addition, any new vaccine must be found to offer good protection against COVID-19 to win FDA authorization. The FDA also continues monitoring vaccines to see how they perform.

All three vaccines are highly effective, health experts say. The three vaccines did report different efficacy rates, though, and you may have concerns about that.

Let’s take a look:

• Johnson & Johnson reported an efficacy rate of 66%. Pfizer and Moderna reported rates of about 95%. The efficacy rate is the reduction in any severity of illness, during clinical trials, among those who got the vaccine compared with those who didn’t.
• But health experts say the vaccines can’t be compared apples-to-apples. The vaccines were tested in different ways and at different times. Johnson & Johnson’s was tested later, for example, after more-contagious variants had emerged.
• On the most important measures — preventing hospitalization and death — Johnson & Johnson had a 100% efficacy rate. That means no one who received the vaccine in clinical trials died or needed hospital care because of COVID-19. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine also had an 85% efficacy rate for preventing severe illness.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine also offers some advantages:

• It is one dose. That makes it convenient for anyone who would find it hard to attend two visits.
• It does not need ultra-cold storage, making it an option for more areas.

Overall, health experts advise getting whichever vaccine is available to you first. Speed is especially important as variants spread.

Learn more: 

• Why comparing COVID-19 vaccine efficacy numbers can be misleading

Yes. If you got a first dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, it’s important to get your second shot, or booster. This makes sure that your vaccination is as effective as possible. Schedule your second dose as soon as you can. (The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is just one dose.)

It’s also important to know:

• There is no maximum time between doses.
• OHSU has no limit on how long after a first shot people can schedule a second.
• OHSU recommends second doses:
  • 19-35 days after your first Pfizer dose (Pfizer recommends three weeks, or 21 days).
  • 25-35 days after your first Moderna dose (Moderna recommends four weeks, or 28 days).
• The CDC updated its guidelines to recommend second doses — when a delay is unavoidable — up to six weeks (42 days) after the first dose.
• Even if you miss all these windows, you don’t have to start over by repeating a first dose. Just get your second dose.
• There is little data on how well mRNA vaccines (like the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines) work when the second dose is more than six weeks after the first. That means it’s not known whether waiting longer makes the vaccine more effective, less effective or causes no change.

Learn more:

• Is it Safe to Delay a Second COVID Vaccine Dose? Scientific American

The Pfizer vaccine is now approved for ages 12 and older. 

Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are testing their vaccines in ages 12 to 17 but haven’t announced results or sought FDA approval for this age group.

All three vaccine makers gained emergency-use authorization from the FDA to use their vaccines in older people. Pfizer first gained approval for ages 16 and older. Moderna and Johnson & Johnson have approval for ages 18 and older.

Vaccines are tested in adults first to make sure they are safe and effective. Then they are tested in older children, then in younger children.

Pfizer and Moderna also have clinical trials underway to test vaccines in children ages 6 months to 12 years. Pfizer plans to seek FDA approval in September to use its vaccine in ages 2 to 11. Moderna expects results in 2022, CEO Stephane Bancel has said.

Medical gloves are in short supply worldwide. Oregon would need millions of additional pairs if gloves were used for all vaccinations.

In addition, under Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations, providers are not required to wear them for COVID-19 vaccinations. Except in special cases, providers can clean their hands between each recipient instead.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices agree that hand hygiene can replace glove use.

Learn more: 

The Reason Why Nurses Don’t Wear Gloves When Giving COVID-19 Vaccine Explained

Yes. It's possible to get COVID-19 again, which can result in serious illness.

In addition, experts don’t know how long people can expect to be immune after having COVID-19. The CDC said early evidence suggests it’s not very long.

Scientists don’t know yet. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious-disease expert, estimates the U.S. will reach population immunity (also called herd immunity) when 75-80% of the population has been vaccinated. This is the point at which enough people have immunity to keep the coronavirus from easily spreading.

Health and government experts are confident the vaccines are as safe as possible.

The FDA’s emergency-use authorization makes a vaccine or other treatment available quickly in a crisis. It is not full FDA approval. Vaccines are also being developed in months instead of years.

To get emergency authorization, though, vaccines have gone through three phases of clinical trials (tests on people) involving tens of thousands of participants. Clinical trials must follow rigorous rules for safety and oversight.

The FDA, CDC and other government agencies have many systems to monitor the vaccines for any safety issues that didn’t turn up in the trials. They can act quickly if a problem is spotted. Tools include v-safe, which lets people use a smartphone to report any side effects to the CDC.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, is among health officials who say speed did not sacrifice safety. “The speed was the reflection of extraordinary advances in the science of vaccine platform technology,” Dr. Fauci told ABC.

Learn more:

• Ensuring the Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines in the United States, CDC
• Vaccine Development 101, FDA

The CDC investigated whether rare cases of myocarditis and pericarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle and surrounding tissue) are related to COVID-19 vaccines.

A small number of people nationwide have developed these conditions after getting an mRNA vaccine (the type made by Pfizer and Moderna).

It’s important to know:

• Reported cases of myocarditis and pericarditis after vaccination are very rare.
• Most cases are mild, treatable and leave no lasting effects. No one has died.
• The benefits of getting vaccinated far outweigh the risks, according to the CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services.
• The CDC and other health organizations strongly encourage those 12 and older to get vaccinated.

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices met June 23. Health experts said:

• There is a “likely association” between mRNA vaccines and mild inflammation of the heart muscle and surrounding tissue (myocarditis and pericarditis).
• The CDC reported about 12.6 cases per 1 million vaccine doses.
• The heart condition occurs mostly in younger males about a week after the second dose of an mRNA vaccine.
• The Food and Drug Administration is adding fact sheets for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. They will tell recipients to seek medical care if they have any symptoms related to these heart conditions.

Anyone with these symptoms should get medical care right away, regardless of whether they got a vaccine:

• Chest pain
• Chest tightness
• Difficulty breathing
• Heart racing

If you have questions or concerns about the vaccine or potential side effects, including myocarditis or pericarditis, talk to your primary care provider or another trusted health care professional.

Federal health officials stress that the benefits of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine far outweigh the risks.

The Food and Drug Administration has added warnings to the vaccine’s fact sheets for very rare complications. The updates are a reassuring sign that national vaccine safety monitoring is working well to identify potential complications.

Guillain-Barré syndrome:

In July 2021, the FDA added a warning of a higher risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome. This rare condition can damage nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis.

There were reports of 100 cases in the U.S. among nearly 13 million people who had received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at that point. In most cases, symptoms began within six weeks of getting the vaccine.

Most people who develop the syndrome each year in the U.S. fully recover, though some have permanent nerve damage.

Blood clots:

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was paused for 10 days in April after six women (the tally later rose to 15) developed dangerous blood clots.

The women, nearly all ages 18 to 49,  were among more than 8 million people who had gotten the vaccine at that point.

What should you do if you get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine?

• See the fact sheet for people who get the vaccine. It outlines possible complications and when to seek care.
• See the fact sheet for health care providers. It includes how to identify and treat adverse reactions.
• Anyone who has health issues after getting a vaccine from OHSU can call our hotline at 833-647-8222.

No. The Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines do not contain live virus. That makes it impossible to get COVID-19 from a vaccine.

Although mRNA vaccines have not been widely used against an infectious disease before, they have been used in cancer treatments. Researchers have also been working with mRNA vaccines for years in studies of the flu, Zika and other illnesses.

The mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 have been developed with the same rigorous standards applied to all vaccines.

No. DNA is in the nucleus of cells, protected by the nuclear membrane. The mRNA does not enter the nucleus, and it does not affect or interact with DNA. In addition, mRNA from a vaccine cannot be made into DNA that could change a person's DNA.  

Viral vector vaccines have been studied since the 1970s. Two Ebola vaccines are viral vector vaccines. The vaccines have also been used in clinical trials against viruses that include the Zika virus, HIV and flu viruses. 

In addition, all COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the U.S. were developed with the same rigorous standards applied to all vaccines.

No. Unlike with mRNA vaccines, the genetic material (DNA) does enter the cell’s nucleus. But the cell only reads the instructions. The DNA cannot interact, alter or combine with your DNA.

You can expect mainly mild to moderate side effects such as:

• Fatigue
• Fever
• Chills
• Muscle aches and pains

In clinical trials, side effects tended to be higher after the second dose, and less for those older than 65.

Side effects can be managed with:

• Rest
• Drinking fluids
• Fever-reducing medication, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)

Call your health care provider if you have side effects that bother you or that don't go away.

Learn more:

What to Expect after Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine, CDC

Call 911 or go to the nearest hospital if you have a severe allergic reaction such as:

• Swelling of the throat and mouth
• Trouble breathing
• Lightheadedness
• Confusion
• Blue skin or lips
• Fainting

Call your health care provider if you have side effects that bother you or that don’t go away.

Learn more:

COVID-19 Vaccines and Allergic Reactions, CDC

Health officials are tracking side effects as part of widespread efforts to monitor vaccine safety. You can report side effects to:

• The FDA/CDC Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS): Visit the VAERS website or call 1-800-822-7967.
• V-safe: Learn how to use the CDC’s new v-safe smartphone tool.

It depends on the situation.

You should wear a mask:

• Until you are fully vaccinated. That happens after it’s been at least two weeks since your one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or since your second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
• If required under local rules, including guidance for workplaces and businesses, and if a business asks you to.
• On public transit and at travel hubs such as airports and bus stations.
• When going to the doctor, and at hospitals and long-term care facilities. (Masks are required at OHSU hospitals and clinics, for example.)
• In group settings such as homeless shelters, jails and prisons.

You can go without a mask and keeping 6 feet from others:

• In most situations, indoors and out, once you are fully vaccinated. The CDC relaxed guidelines, and Oregon followed suit.

You will NOT be charged anything for a vaccine, and you do not need health insurance to get a vaccine.

If you do have health insurance, though, providers are allowed to charge your insurance company an administration fee. This fee may temporarily appear in your MyChart account as it is processed. You will NOT be billed.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you get vaccinated.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky gave the updated advice at a White House briefing April 23. She said data from vaccine-monitoring systems found no safety concerns among 35,000 women in their third trimester. Early findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The agency had been advising people to talk with their pregnancy provider because scientists had little information about COVID-19 vaccines and pregnancy. Pregnant people were not included in clinical trials.

Walensky said the decision remains personal, and she encouraged people to still talk with their doctors and primary care providers about “what is best for them and for their baby.”

Health experts have noted that pregnant people have:

• A higher risk of serious illness if they get COVID-19.
• A higher risk of premature birth or other pregnancy complications if they get COVID-19 while pregnant.

They also advise considering:

• Your risk of being exposed to the coronavirus.
• Whether you have any other medical condition that could put you at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19.

Learn more:

Vaccination Considerations for People who are Pregnant or Breastfeeding, CDC

OHSU experts recommend that you talk with your health care provider. The CDC says people who are both breastfeeding and in a high-priority group recommended for vaccination, such as health care workers, may choose to be vaccinated.

There is no data on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in people who are breastfeeding, in breast milk or in breastfeeding infants. Breastfeeding people were not part of clinical trials. The CDC says, though, that mRNA vaccines are not thought to be a risk to breastfeeding infants.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that vaccination be offered to people who are breastfeeding under the same guidelines as for people who aren’t.

Learn more:

Vaccination Considerations for People who are Pregnant or Breastfeeding, CDC

For some people, getting a COVID-19 vaccine is followed by swelling in lymph nodes under the arm where they got the shot.

The swelling is a normal sign that your body is building protection against COVID-19. It could cause a false result on a mammogram, though. If you are due for a mammogram, we recommend that you:

• Get your mammogram before your vaccine.
• Or wait at least four weeks after your Johnson & Johnson vaccine, or after your second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.