COVID Vaccine
The 2023-2024 COVID vaccine was authorized by medical experts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on September 12. The COVID vaccine is available for people age 6 months or older, through local pharmacies and primary care providers.
COVID vaccines protect people from getting very sick, being hospitalized, developing Long COVID and dying. Immunity from vaccines can drop over time. Staying up to date with your recommended vaccines is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones.
When to get the COVID vaccine
UCHealth recommends that everyone age 6 months or older get the vaccine as soon as possible.
How to get the COVID vaccine
Vaccine options
- Through your UCHealth primary care provider. To schedule your COVID vaccine, please use My Health Connection, UCHealth’s online patient portal, to see available appointments. You must have a UCHealth primary care provider in order to get a vaccine at UCHealth. Log in to My Health Connection and click on Appointments > Schedule Appointment.
- At Yampa Valley Medical Center. To schedule your COVID vaccine, please use My Health Connection, UCHealth’s online patient portal, to see available appointments. Log in to My Health Connection and click on Appointments > Schedule Appointment.
- Many of the pharmacy chains in the community are offering appointments for the COVID vaccine.
- Or go to vaccines.gov to find a COVID vaccine location near you.
Get answers to your COVID vaccine questions
These questions and answers are updated as new information is available.
The COVID vaccine: When, where, and who?
Who is eligible to receive the COVID vaccine?
COVID vaccines have been authorized for everyone age 6 months and older.
COVID vaccine safety
How do we know COVID vaccines are safe?
Clinical trials have evaluated COVID vaccines in tens of thousands of study participants. Information from these trials allows the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to decide how safe and effective they are. Ongoing, long-term monitoring will continue as it does for all vaccine development. No steps in the normal vaccine development process have been skipped or shortened. UCHealth experts recommend that everyone get a COVID vaccine as soon as possible.
Is it safe to get another COVID vaccine?
Yes. Data from the CDC shows that staying up to date with COVID vaccines is safe. The 2023-2024 COVID vaccines run on the same proven technology as the vaccines that hundreds of millions of people have already safely received in the United States.
The side effects from 2023-2024 COVID vaccines are similar to the side effects of previous COVID vaccines.
COVID vaccine distribution
Who is UCHealth currently vaccinating?
UCHealth is currently providing the 2023-2024 COVID vaccine to UCHealth primary care patients and at Yampa Valley Medical Center.
How do I get the COVID vaccine?
To schedule your COVID vaccine through UCHealth, please use My Health Connection, UCHealth’s online patient portal, to see available appointments.
- Log in to My Health Connection and click on Appointments > Schedule Appointment.
- If you don’t have a My Health Connection account, create a My Health Connection account to schedule your COVID vaccine.
- If you have questions or need help, please call your UCHealth primary care clinic.
- Many of the pharmacy chains in the community are offering appointments for the COVID vaccine.
- Or go to vaccines.gov to find a COVID vaccine location near you.
Can I walk in and get a COVID vaccination?
No, an appointment is required.
COVID vaccine and your health
I am immunocompromised. What is the recommended dose for the COVID vaccine?
Immunocompromised people should get at least a 3-dose series with an age-appropriate dose of a COVID vaccine. At least one dose should be with the 2023-2024 COVID vaccine.
Patients who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may receive additional booster doses of the 2023-2024 COVID vaccines. Patients may receive 1 additional dose. Additional boosters after that are based on patient preferences, judgement of a healthcare provider and individual circumstances. Boosters should be given 8 weeks after a previous dose of vaccine.
For more information, visit: Clinical Guidance for COVID-19 Vaccination | CDC
Who is considered immunocompromised?
Moderately to severely immunocompromised people include people who:
- Are receiving cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood.
- Have received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system.
- Have received a stem cell or bone marrow transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system.
- Have moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome or Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome).
- Have an advanced or untreated HIV infection.
- Are receiving treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress the immune response.
Please talk to your doctor about your medical condition, and whether getting an additional dose is right for you. If you are currently receiving chemotherapy treatments or have recently been treated with certain immunosuppressant medications, your doctor may advise you to wait until a time when your immune system is better able to respond to the vaccine.
Can I get my COVID vaccine and my flu shot at the same time?
Yes, the CDC says people can get the flu shot and other vaccines at the same time as the COVID vaccine. It is recommended that you get one shot in each arm.
How much will a COVID vaccine reduce the risks or complications of COVID?
Clinical trials have shown that all the FDA-authorized COVID vaccines are highly effective and safe.
Based on what we know about vaccines for other diseases, experts believe that getting a COVID vaccine may help keep you from getting very sick, even if you do get COVID. Getting vaccinated may also protect the people around you, especially those at increased risk for severe illness from COVID.
Are pregnant women at increased risk of serious illness from COVID?
Yes, pregnant women and recently pregnant women are at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID when compared to those who are not pregnant.
Can I get COVID even after getting the vaccine?
It often takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity after getting the vaccine. That means a person could be infected with the virus that causes COVID just before or just after getting the vaccine and get sick. This is because the vaccine has not had enough time to provide protection.
We are seeing breakthrough infections, where someone who has been fully vaccinated against COVID tests positive for the virus. However, the vaccine is still the best way to protect yourself from severe illness and hospitalization.