COVID-19 VACCINE INFORMATION

Who can get a vaccine in NYC?

• ANYONE who works in a New York City school is now eligible to receive the vaccine. This includes but is not limited to teachers, paraprofessionals, social workers, deans, operations team members, leadership, custodial staff, food service workers, security, interns, nurses. YOU are eligible!
• If you live out of state but work in a New York City school, you CAN get the vaccine in New York City.
• If you have previously tested positive for Covid-19, you can (and probably should) still get the vaccine.
• You must be 16 or older to get the Pfizer vaccine and 18 or older to get the Moderna vaccine, but clinical trials are nearing completion for younger children.

How do I sign up to get vaccinated?

New York City does not currently have a single clearinghouse for scheduling a vaccination at all available sites since not all sites are city run. To schedule an appointment:

1. Go to the NYC COVID-19 Vaccine Finder and search for a site via zip code
2. Find a potential site (including pharmacies, community health centers, and hospitals) and click “Schedule an appointment”.  This will redirect you to the scheduling page for that provider. While the Vaccine Finder will link to all available sites, the following government-run sites can also be accessed directly:
   1. City-run vaccination centers will link to the city’s unified Vaccine Hub. You will need to create an account if you don’t already have one.
   2. The State-run vaccination sites, including the Javits Center, will direct you to this eligibility form.
3. Appointments fill up quickly, but they are also frequently being updated. If you have trouble finding an available appointment time, keep trying.  In addition, new vaccination sites will purportedly be announced on the Mayor’s website.
4. Once you have scheduled your appointment, you should receive instructions on where to go, what to bring, and what to expect. You should be prepared to bring documentation confirming your eligibility. The letter emailed to you by your school verifying your employment should be sufficient. If you have not received this letter, please reach out to your Director of Operations.
5. If you are only able to find a time that conflicts with your work, you may want to lock that appointment in first, but be sure to check with your supervisor to see if you will be able to miss time. We will allow people up to four hours of additional paid time off to receive the vaccine if necessary, but encourage everyone to try and schedule appointments that do not conflict with work/instruction. To receive paid time off, staff will be required to show proof that they used the time to get the vaccine.

Tell me more about the vaccine!

• There are currently two vaccines available nationwide, one from Pfizer and one from Moderna. 
• Both vaccines are Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines that do not put a weakened version of a vaccine into our bodies. Instead, they instruct the body to produce a protein that triggers an immune response. This immune response produces antibodies to Covid that protect us against infection if the real virus enters our bodies.  More information can be found HERE.
• Both vaccines are available in New York City depending on the vaccination site.  
• Both vaccines have shown to be greater than 94% effective at preventing symptomatic Covid-19 infections and both are equally effective across different ethnic and racial groups.
• Both vaccines require two shots: a priming dose, followed by a booster shot (about 21 days later for the Pfizer vaccine and 28 days later for the Modern vaccine). In most cases, you will be scheduled for your second shot when you receive your first.
• To date, there is no evidence of serious or long-term side effects. Recipients may feel temporary side effects, but they are usually signs of an immune system, and therefore the vaccine, working. These may include injection site soreness, fatigue, headache, or body ache, and most last about a day or two.

Are the vaccines safe?

Yes.

• Though the vaccine approval process was significantly quicker than is the norm, Moderna and Pfizer did not bypass any safety protocols and did not take shortcuts during the testing phases. 
• None of the vaccine trials have reported any serious safety concerns and all were conducted according to strict protocols with independent safety monitoring boards reviewing data.
• You cannot get Covid-19 from the vaccines. They do not contain any virus.

This article from Medical News Today addresses how these vaccines were developed so rapidly without compromising safety.

This article from John Hopkins Medicine addresses safety concerns

This article from the Mayo Clinic provides additional information on both the safety of the vaccines and addresses common misperceptions.

Are the vaccines effective?

Yes. 

In clinical trials, the Pfizer vaccine proved 95% effective and the Moderna vaccine proved 94.1% effective at preventing Covid-19.  

By comparison, the flu shot generally has between 40-60% effectiveness according to the CDC.

Are the vaccines effective?

Yes. 

In clinical trials, the Pfizer vaccine proved 95% effective and the Moderna vaccine proved 94.1% effective at preventing Covid-19.  

By comparison, the flu shot generally has between 40-60% effectiveness according to the CDC.