Whether an employer may require or mandate COVID-19 vaccination is a matter of state or other applicable law. If an employer requires employees to provide proof that they have received a COVID-19 vaccination from a pharmacy or their own healthcare provider, you do not need to provide any medical information as part of the proof. Learn more from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Each person getting the COVID-19 vaccine will receive a vaccination record card to make sure they receive the correct vaccine for the second dose. You can also enroll in v-safe, a smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after you receive a COVID-19 vaccination. V-safe will remind you to get your second COVID-19 vaccine dose if you need one.
People who receive the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine but are not able to receive the second dose when their employer offers it may bring their vaccination record card to another location that is administering vaccine in their area to complete the vaccine series. You should not need to restart your series of shots. It is important that you get the same vaccine for both your first and second dose. You should not mix and match the different brands like Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has no existing position on COVID-19 vaccination. Some individuals may be at risk for an adverse reaction because of an allergy to one of the vaccine components or a medical condition. This is referred to as a medical exemption. CDC provides recommendations for people who have had allergic reactions to other vaccines and for those with other types of allergies. Some individuals may decline vaccination because of a religious belief. This is referred to as a religious exemption.
For workers employed by contract firms or temporary help agencies, the staffing agency and the host employer are joint employers. Both are responsible for providing and maintaining a safe work environment. The responsibilities the staffing agency and the host employer have can be different, depending on the workplace conditions, and should be described in their contract. (Protecting Temporary Workers)
It is important to find out where you can get vaccinated to get the vaccine as soon as it is available to you. Possibilities include a workplace vaccination program, your personal healthcare provider’s office, a pharmacy, your local health department, or vaccination sites set up by your state or local government or local health systems. To learn what is available through your workplace, ask your employer if they are
making vaccination available to employees. To learn about other options, contact your local health department or your personal healthcare provider.
Discuss your vaccination options with management at your work site. It is important to find out where you can get vaccinated to get the vaccine as soon as it is available to you. Possibilities include a work site vaccination program, your personal healthcare provider’s office, a pharmacy, your local health department, or vaccination sites set up by your state or local government or local health systems. To learn what is available at the work site where you are an independent contractor, ask the work site manager if they are making vaccination available to independent contractors. To learn about other options, contact your local health department or your personal healthcare provider.
Discuss your vaccination options with your employer. It is important to find out where you can get vaccinated to get the vaccine as soon as it is available to you. Possibilities include your personal healthcare provider’s office, a pharmacy, your local health department, or vaccination sites set up by your state or local government or local health systems. To learn about other options, contact your local health department or your personal healthcare provider.
Discuss your vaccination options with your employer to find out if your employer is offering on-site vaccination. If no on-site vaccination is available, you may be able to receive your vaccination at your personal healthcare provider’s office, a pharmacy, your local health department, or vaccination sites set up by your state or local government or local health systems. To learn about other options, contact your local health department or your personal healthcare provider.
No. 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 6 feet away from others, help reduce your chance of being exposed to the virus and spreading it to others. Together, getting vaccinated for COVID-19 and following CDC’s recommendations for how to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from getting and spreading COVID-19.
You should be able to return to the workplace after receiving the vaccine. You may have some side effects, like fever, which are normal signs that your body is building protection. These side effects may affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days. Learn about the difference between expected side effects and when it may be time to call a doctor. The vaccine will not give you COVID-19. However, you could have been exposed to the virus before testing, so if you continue to feel sick, you should consider getting a COVID-19 test. It takes time for your body to build protection after any vaccination and the COVID-19 vaccine may not protect you until a week or two after your second shot (dose).
CDC and FDA encourage the public to report possible side effects (called “adverse events”) to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). CDC is also implementing a new smartphone-based tool called “v-safe” to check in on people’s health after they receive a COVID-19 vaccine. If you enroll in v-safe, you can tell CDC if you have any side effects after getting a COVID-19 vaccine. If you report serious side effects, someone from CDC will call to follow up.
Getting a flu vaccine is an essential part of protecting your health and your family’s health this season. Flu vaccines are useful any time during the flu season and can often be accessed in January or later.
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.
You should wait at least 14 days after getting the COVID-19 vaccine to get a flu shot.