COVID-19 Vaccine
UCHealth is providing the Pfizer vaccine to anyone age 12 or older.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued full approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for anyone 16 years old or older, and full approval for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for anyone 18 years old or older.
To approve the vaccines, the FDA reviewed safety and effectiveness data collected over more than a year. The vaccines now have the same approval as other prescription drugs.
The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is also available under emergency use authorization (EUA) for children age 5 through 15 years old.
When to get the COVID-19 vaccine
UCHealth is currently providing the Pfizer vaccine. Dose timing varies by age and whether a person is immunocompromised.
How to get the COVID-19 vaccine
To schedule your COVID-19 vaccine, please use My Health Connection, UCHealth’s online patient portal, to see available appointments. You do not need to be a UCHealth patient in order to get a vaccine.
- Log in to My Health Connection and click on Appointments > Schedule Appointment.
- If you do not have a My Health Connection account or are new to UCHealth, create a My Health Connection account to schedule your COVID-19 vaccine.
- UCHealth vaccine clinics are not accepting walk-in patients. Please schedule an appointment for your vaccination.
- Please plan to check in online prior to your appointment. At that time, you will be asked to provide or confirm your insurance information. While we will bill your insurance company for administration of the vaccine, patients will not receive a bill from UCHealth. If you do not use online check-in, please bring your insurance card to your appointment.
- If you have questions or need help, please call:
UCHealth COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline: 720.462.2255
(Español: 844.945.2508)
Monday through Friday – 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
With the goal of helping organizations deliver the COVID-19 vaccine to their communities,
we developed a playbook to share our learnings from successful mass vaccination events.
Get answers to your COVID-19 vaccine questions
These questions and answers are updated as new information is available.
The COVID-19 vaccine: When, where, and who?
Who is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine?
UCHealth is currently providing COVID-19 vaccines to anyone age 12 or older.
What COVID-19 vaccines can I get from UCHealth?
UCHealth is providing the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
COVID-19 vaccine safety
How do we know COVID-19 vaccines are safe?
Clinical trials are evaluating COVID-19 vaccines in tens of thousands of study participants. Information from these trials will allow 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.
Will the findings of the COVID-19 vaccine trials be made public and reviewed by independent experts?
All phase 3 clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccine candidates are overseen by an independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB). This board acts across all of the trials for all of the sponsors. The FDA and vaccine manufacturers are releasing data from their trials publicly.
Did the COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials include people of color?
COVID-19 vaccine distribution
Who is UCHealth currently vaccinating?
UCHealth is currently providing the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to anyone age 12 or older.
How do I get the COVID-19 vaccine?
To schedule your COVID-19 vaccine, please use My Health Connection, UCHealth’s online patient portal, to see available appointments. You do not need to be a UCHealth patient in order to get a vaccine.
- Log in to My Health Connection and click on Appointments > Schedule Appointment.
- If you don’t have a My Health Connection account or are new to UCHealth, create a My Health Connection account to schedule your COVID-19 vaccine.
- If you have questions or need help, please call any UCHealth primary care clinic.
Can I walk in and get a COVID-19 vaccination?
At this time, UCHealth vaccine clinics are not accepting walk-in patients. Please schedule an appointment for your vaccination.
Vaccine Clinic Information – Appointment Required
PLEASE NOTE: All people under 18 must have a parent or guardian with them for their first dose at a UCHealth vaccine clinic, OR have a parent or guardian print and sign the Vaccine Consent Form for Minors (versión en español) and bring it with them.
Location | Directions | Dates and Hours |
University of Colorado Hospital 12605 E. 16th Avenue Aurora, CO 80045 |
Vaccine clinic: Bruce Schroffel Conference Center – Located in the Anschutz Inpatient Pavilion 2.
Parking: Park in lot 6, valet or garage 8 (employee garage) |
Go to My Health Connection to see available appointments. |
Medical Center of the Rockies 2500 Rocky Mountain Avenue Loveland, CO 89538 |
Vaccine clinic: Navajo Peak Conference Room
Parking: Use the main entrance. Valet parking available. |
Go to My Health Connection to see available appointments. |
Yampa Valley Medical Center 1024 Central Park Drive Steamboat Springs, CO 80487 |
Vaccine clinic: Pharmacy
Parking: Use the main entrance |
Go to My Health Connection to see available appointments. |
Memorial Administrative Center (MAC) 2420 E. Pikes Peak Avenue Colorado Springs, CO 80909 |
Vaccine clinic: Cuchara Room
Parking: Park in the main lot. Use West entrance. |
Go to My Health Connection to see available appointments. |
I missed my appointment for my second dose of the vaccine. What should I do?
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines both require a second primary dose, and we strongly recommend that you get both doses of the vaccine to help stop the spread of COVID-19 variants.
Please use My Health Connection, UCHealth’s online patient portal, to reschedule your Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
- Log in to My Health Connection and click on Appointments > Schedule Appointment.
- If you do not have a My Health Connection account or are new to UCHealth, create a My Health Connection account to schedule your COVID-19 vaccine.
What is the recommended timing between a first and second dose? Can I get my second dose early?
The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines require 2 doses. The CDC advises that the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine can be given 3 to 8 weeks after the first dose. For people 18 and older, the second dose of the Moderna vaccine can be given 4 to 8 weeks after the first dose. A second dose should not be given earlier than 17 days after the first dose for the Pfizer vaccine, and 24 days after the first dose for the Moderna vaccine.
How can I cancel my appointment?
Please go to your My Health Connection account to cancel your appointment. If you are unable to cancel it in My Health Connection, call UCHealth at 720.462.2255 for assistance.
How can I reschedule my appointments?
If you need to reschedule, you need to cancel your appointments in My Health Connection first and then complete the scheduling steps again.
Once I’m vaccinated, where can I find my vaccination record and QR code?
If you receive the COVID-19 vaccine through UCHealth, “Your COVID-19 Information” page will show your vaccination record and QR code. It will also show the results of any COVID-19 nasal swab or antibody tests you have had at UCHealth.
- My Health Connection mobile app: Click “Your COVID-19 Information” on the home screen.
- My Health Connection desktop: Go to “Your Menu,” then select “Your COVID-19 Information.”
How can I get help getting to or from a vaccine clinic?
* We will continue to update this list as more resources and regions are added.
IntelliRide (Medicaid-reimbursed ride; Region: Any location in Colorado)
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- If you have active Medicaid benefits, call IntelliRide to schedule a ride to your appointment. You must schedule your ride at least 2 business days in advance.
- Call: 303.398.2155
Elder Concierge (Self-pay, all ages, Region: Metro Denver)
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- Elder Concierge will take you to and from appointments. Cost is $65 an hour (self-pay only) within the Metro Denver region. Call to schedule.
- Call: 720.569.1005
Via Transport (No cost ride for ages 60+, Region: Denver/Boulder)
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- Rides available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Call Via Transport to get registered in the system and schedule a ride. Rides are available Monday through Friday in the Denver/Boulder area.
- Call: 303.444.3043
Access-a-Ride through RTD (No cost ride for members, Region: Metro Denver)
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- If you are an Access-a-Ride member, you can call and schedule a ride to any vaccine clinic in the Metro Denver area.
- Call: 303.292.6560
Envida (Medicaid reimbursed ride, Region: Colorado Springs)
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- If you are a Health First Colorado (Medicaid) client, call Envida to schedule a ride to your appointment.
- Call: 719.633.4677
COVID-19 vaccine and your health
I am immunocompromised. What is the recommended timing between doses?
For children age 5-11 (Pfizer vaccine): 3 weeks between 1st and 2nd dose, 4 weeks between 2nd and 3rd dose, 3 months between the 3rd and 4th dose. UCHealth is only providing COVID-19 vaccines for people age 12 or older.
For people age 12 or older (Pfizer vaccine): 3 weeks between 1st and 2nd dose, 4 weeks between 2nd and 3rd dose, 3 months between 3rd and 4th dose, 4 months between 4th and 5th dose.
For people age 18 or older (Moderna vaccine): 4 weeks between 1st and 2nd dose, 4 weeks between 2nd and 3rd dose, 3 months between 3rd and 4th dose, 4 months between 4th and 5th dose.
Moderately to severely immunocompromised people age 18 or older who received Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine should get an additional dose of any of the authorized COVID-19 vaccines at least 2 months after their single-dose Johnson & Johnson shot. Followed by 1 booster dose with either Pfizer or Moderna, 2 months after the second dose.
I am immunocompromised. Should I get a third primary vaccine dose?
Guidance for the Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines has been updated to include a third primary dose for people with a moderately to severely compromised immune system. This includes organ transplant recipients, those taking certain medications that weaken the immune system, and those with conditions that cause a similar level of immune suppression.
Studies show the third primary dose may increase protection for someone with a weakened immune system.
> Getting a third dose: see CDC/FDA recommendations
I am immunocompromised and got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Should I get an additional vaccine dose?
For people who received a Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, an additional dose of any of the authorized COVID-19 vaccines is recommended for everyone age 18 or older who was vaccinated 2 or more months ago.
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.
What is a booster shot?
A booster shot is an additional dose of a vaccine after a person has completed their primary vaccination series. An additional dose “boosts” your immune system, creating better protection against an illness. It’s normal for some vaccines to wane or become slightly less effective over time. Research by the COVID-19 vaccine makers and scientists is showing that the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are waning several months after recipients get their first doses. Because of new infections and waning effectiveness of some COVID-19 vaccines, FDA and CDC experts are recommending a booster dose for many people.
Who should get a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine?
The CDC is recommending a booster shot for everyone age 5 or older. UCHealth is offering booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine for anyone 12 or older who received their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least 5 months ago, or the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least 2 months ago, or any of the World Health Organization-approved COVID-19 vaccines at least 5 months ago.
Log in to My Health Connection and click on Appointments > Schedule Appointment.
For more information on who should get an additional dose, visit the state of Colorado’s vaccine booster eligibility page.
Who should get a second booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine?
The FDA has authorized a second booster dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for anyone 50 or older and for people 12 or older with a moderately to severely compromised immune system, to be given at least 4 months after the first booster dose. New evidence suggests that a second booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine improves protection against severe COVID-19.
What is the recommended dose for a third dose or booster shot of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine?
For the first 2 doses, the recommended dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is 100 micrograms (mcg). For immunocompromised people, the recommended third dose of the Moderna vaccine is 100 micrograms (mcg), given about one month after the second dose. After the 2-dose series (3 doses for immunocompromised people), the recommended dose of the Moderna vaccine is 50 micrograms (mcg).
Can I get my COVID-19 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-19 vaccine. It is recommended that you get one shot in each arm.
UCHealth COVID-19 vaccine clinics are not offering flu shots at this time. Drug stores and other vaccine providers may offer both at the same time.
How much will a COVID-19 vaccine reduce the risks or complications of COVID-19?
Clinical trials have shown that all the FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective and safe.
Based on what we know about vaccines for other diseases, experts believe that getting a COVID-19 vaccine may help keep you from getting very sick, even if you do get COVID-19. Getting vaccinated may also protect the people around you, especially those at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
Are pregnant women at increased risk of serious illness from COVID-19?
Yes, pregnant women and recently pregnant women are at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 when compared to those who are not pregnant. Pregnant women with COVID-19 are 15 times more likely to die, 14 times more likely to need to be intubated, and 22 times more likely to have pre-term birth than those who don’t have COVID-19, according to a recent study.
The Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines require 2 doses. Will I have any protection after the first dose?
Clinical trials have shown the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines may provide limited protection after 1 dose. Two doses are required for the primary series.
After I get the vaccine, how long does it take before I have full protection?
You are considered fully vaccinated 2 weeks after the second dose of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and 2 weeks after the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. A booster dose is recommended 5 months later for the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, and 2 months later for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Can I get COVID-19 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-19 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-19 tests positive for the virus. However, the vaccine is still the best way to protect yourself from severe illness and hospitalization.