What to Know About the COVID-19 Vaccine

Older adult woman getting vaccine

COVID-19 Vaccine Information

The vaccine provides hope for this unprecedented pandemic and is an important next step in helping to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. We understand there are many questions about the safety and efficacy of it. Learn more below, including when the vaccine will be available for patients and our community. This page will be updated frequently with new information.

Currently Vaccinating Phase 1; Preparing for Phase 2

COVID19 Cell
 

Interested in receiving updates about the COVID-19 vaccine?

You can fill out this quick survey to be added to our list to receive vaccine updates and availability information from Olathe Health.

Please note: This survey is NOT an appointment and does NOT reserve a vaccine for you. Olathe Health will receive the vaccine in limited quantities on an ongoing basis from the state. Thank you for your patience as you wait for your vaccine to be available based on your phase.
COMPLETE SURVEY HERE.

COVID-19 Vaccine Phasing and Distribution

In Kansas, the COVID-19 vaccine is being distributed in phases, based on supply, as outlined by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). As of January 21, Kansas has moved into KDHE Phase 2 of the distribution plan, which is the plan Olathe Health is following. (See graphic below.)

Olathe Health clinics do not yet have vaccines from the state for Phase 2, however, as soon as we receive them, we will notify patients via this page on our website, emails from the patient portal and through our social media channels. (If you are a current patient and do not have a portal account, contact your primary care clinic to get signed up.) During Phase 2, Olathe Health clinics will vaccinate current patients ages 65 and older, once we receive vaccines. For all others in Phase 2 groups who do not meet this criteria, please contact your local health department for information about other vaccination sites. Due to the limited amount of vaccine currently available, our initial shipments are only allotted for our patients who are in the phase designated by the state.

Please see the FAQs below for answers about how to schedule, vaccine safety information and more. As a reminder, even once you get the vaccine, it is crucial to continue to observe the current safety measures in place. 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 help stop this pandemic, like covering your mouth and nose with a mask, washing hands often, and staying at least 6 feet away from others.

KS Vaccine Phases

COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs

  • Our hospitals have received doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and are currently immunizing healthcare workers, as designated by the KDHE phasing plan. We anticipate receiving additional shipments in the future, however we are not sure exactly when and how many we will get. 

  • The CDC has determined the first shipment of vaccines will go to frontline healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities. Currently, Kansas is in KDHE Phase 2 of the distribution plan, which is the plan we are following. (See graphic above.) We plan to notify our community when the vaccine is available for those in Phase 2 via our website, patient portal and social media channels. 

  • At this time, the vaccine is not available for the general public. In Kansas, the COVID-19 vaccine is being distributed in phases, based on supply, as outlined by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). Currently, Kansas is in KDHE Phase 2 of the distribution plan, which is the plan Olathe Health is following. (See graphic above.)

    As COVID-19 vaccines are approved by the FDA, the federal government is supplying states with limited doses on an ongoing basis. The states are then supplying the vaccines to locations throughout the state for distribution, like Olathe Health hospitals and clinics. 

    As soon as Olathe Health receives vaccine doses allocated for Phase 2 distribution, we will alert both patients and the community about how to schedule a vaccine at one of our clinic locations.

  • At this time, Olathe Health has NOT received vaccine supply for Phase 2 groups, and we are NOT scheduling vaccine appointments yet. Once supply is available, Olathe Health patients 65 and older will be able to make an appointment for the vaccine by scheduling online through the Patient Portal. (If you do not have a portal account, call your primary care provider to set one up.) Appointments will be allowed based on the phasing group currently being vaccinated. At this time, you will not see the COVID-19 vaccine appointment option in your Patient Portal booking menu. 

    Please note: We will be receiving limited supplies of vaccines from KDHE as they become available. Thank you for your patience as we work with the state to get everyone vaccinated

    The COVID-19 vaccine is a series of two injections that must be given within a specific time frame. (21- 23 days for the Pfizer Vaccine and 28-30 days for Moderna) Your appointment for the second injection will be made during the check-in process for your first injection. You must receive both injections for the vaccine to be most effective. The vaccine is free, however, there is a fee to administer the injection that will be billed to your insurance.

    Interested in receiving updates about the COVID-19 vaccine?
    You can fill out our quick survey to be added to our list to receive vaccine updates and availability information from Olathe Health. This survey is NOT an appointment and does NOT reserve a vaccine for you. Click here to complete the survey.

  • The chart above outlines the KDHE phasing by population. Olathe Health is following this phasing plan. If you are unsure what Phase group you fit in based on the information below, please consult your employer and/or primary care physician. You can also view the KDHE Vaccine Prioritization Plan for more details about each Phase group here: kansasvaccine.gov/157/Availability.


    Click the following link for the screen readers version: (Version of KDHE table accessible to screen readers)

    This state plan is subject to change. Questions about the plan can be directed to KDHE:

    Phone: 1-866-534-3463 (1-866-KDHEINF)

    Email: [email protected]

    Website at kdheks.gov

  • A safe vaccine is determined through administration to a large number of people of different ages, sexes and underlying conditions. Both the Pfizer/BioN Tech and Moderna vaccines have undergone rigorous studies. For example, the Pfizer/BioN Tech study included more than 43,000 patients across demographics representative of our population. These COVID-19 vaccine studies have achieved 95 percent effectiveness.

  • The COVID-19 vaccine is a multi-dose vaccine administered through a shot. The second dose is given 21 to 28 days later, depending on which vaccine brand you get. (The second dose should be administered within about a two-day window of the specified timeframe.)

  • No. The COVID-19 vaccine does not contain a live virus.

  • No. You will not be contagious and do not need to quarantine. The vaccine does not contain a live virus. It is designed to trigger an immune response in your body to help prevent you from getting the virus.

  • After COVID-19 vaccination, you may have some side effects. This is a normal sign that your body is building protection. The side effects may include mild symptoms like soreness at injection site, muscle aches and fatigue. If you do experience symptoms, please report them on the V-Safe app created by the CDC. V-Safe is a smartphone-based tool that checks in on you after your vaccine, and sends reminders about your second dose. To register, go to https://vsafe.cdc.gov/ 

  • The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines appear to be equally effective. Initially, vaccine availability will determine which vaccine people get. As more vaccines are introduced into the market, additional work will be done to optimize the right vaccine for each individual, depending on availability.

  • Yes, however, since re-infection is highly unlikely in the first 90 days, it is recommended by the CDC and KDHE to wait for the vaccine during this initial period of time. Since there are not enough vaccines for everyone, this will allow those with no immunity to receive vaccine quicker. Re-infection of COVID-19 is possible, and there are severe health risks for some people, so it is advised to get a COVID-19 vaccine, even if you have been sick with it before. At this time, experts do not 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. 

  • The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are both messenger RNA (mRNA). COVID-19 vaccines that use mRNA work with the body’s natural defenses to safely develop protection to disease without us having to get the illness. The mRNA instructs our body to make a certain protein. That protein is identical to the spike protein on the coronavirus. It needs that spike protein to attach to our cells and be able to cause infection. When we make that spike protein, our body recognizes it is foreign, and we build up an immunity against it. When we then get exposed to the actual virus, our body recognizes it and can have a more rapid immune response to fight off that infection.Receiving an mRNA vaccine will not alter your DNA. The mRNA never enters the nucleus of the cell, which is where our DNA are kept. This means the mRNA does not affect or interact with our DNA in any way.

  • If you have ever had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in a COVID-19 vaccine, CDC recommends that you should not get that specific vaccine. View list of ingredients for the Pfizer vaccine here and view a list of ingredients for the Moderna vaccine here. If you have had a severe allergic reaction to other vaccines or injectable therapies, you should ask your doctor if you should get a COVID-19 vaccine. Your doctor will help you decide if it is safe for you to get vaccinated. CDC recommends that people with a history of severe allergic reactions not related to vaccines or injectable medications—such as allergies to food, pet, venom, environmental, or latex—may still get vaccinated. People with a history of allergies to oral medications or a family history of severe allergic reactions, or who might have a milder allergy to vaccines (no anaphylaxis)—may also still get vaccinated. For more information, please visit: cdc.gov/coronavirus.

  • Yes. It will be crucial to continue to observe the current safety measures. 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 help stop this pandemic, like covering your mouth and nose with a mask, washing hands often, and staying at least 6 feet away from others. Full vaccine protection takes several weeks. While the vaccine will protect you from getting sick, you theoretically could still carry the virus infecting others who have not been immunized. 

  • The federal government is covering the costs of the vaccine. There could be an administrative fee patients pay, depending on your insurance and where you receive the vaccine.

  • Please talk with your OB about getting the vaccine if you are pregnant or lactating. For information regarding receiving the vaccine while pregnant or lactating, please refer to the the CDC and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology links below.

    https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/pregnancy.html

    https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-advisory/articles/2020/12/vaccinating-pregnant-and-lactating-patients-against-covid-19

COVID-19 Vaccine Information and Resources

Healthcare providers/workers information from KDHE and JCDHE

If you are a healthcare-associated worker and your employer has not provided a date for you to be vaccinated, please have someone from your office contact the local health department (links located to the right).

Healthcare providers who want to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to their patients or staff can email a request to KDHE at [email protected]. KDHE will send the healthcare provider an enrollment form and instructions on how to order, store and administer the vaccine.

For more information, visit:

Vaccine Pharmaceutical Fact Sheets