COVID-19 Vaccine Information

Updated 11/01/2022

From the start, Alivio has been helping our patients and community fight the pandemic with testing, resources and education, and vaccines! 

For information on vaccination sites, hours and how to schedule, please click here.

COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility

Anyone aged 6 months or older should receive the vaccine. 

For Children 6 months to 5 years

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to prevent COVID-19 are now available for children 6 months to 5 years old.  The Pfizer vaccine is available for children 6 months to 4 years and is split into three doses. The 2nd dose is administered 3 weeks after 1st dose and the 3rd dose is administered 8 weeks after the 2nd dose. The Moderna vaccine is available for children 6 months to 5 years of age. The 2nd dose is administered -4 weeks after the 1st dose. 

For Kids 5-11

The Pfizer vaccine is available for everyone 5-11 years and older. The 2nd dose is administered 21 days after the first. A booster is recommended five months after the 2nd dose.

New Bivalent Booster Available for Ages 6 months +

A bivalent vaccine is designed to protect against two different strains of a virus. The new bivalent versions of the COVID-19 vaccine will offer protection against both the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 as well as the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 strain, which is now the predominant variant of the virus around the world. 

Who is eligible to receive a single booster dose and when:

  • Individuals 4 months to 4 years who have not received their third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Series will now be given the bivalent as the third dose instead.
  • Individuals 5 years of age and older are eligible for a single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent
  • Individual 6 months of age and older are eligible for a single booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent
  • It must be at least two months since they have completed primary vaccination or have received the most recent booster dose with any authorized or approved monovalent COVID-19 vaccine. 

How much will the vaccine cost?

The vaccine itself is free, at no cost to you. If you are insured, Alivio will bill the insurance for an administering fee. But you will never receive a bill.

Important Considerations before scheduling:

  • If you have had a Covid-19 Positive test, you must wait 10 days before getting the Covid-19 vaccine.
  • If you have recently tested for Covid 19, you should have a negative result prior to getting the Covid-19 vaccine.

What to Expect at your Vaccine Appointment

  • Before entering the site there will be a short screening at the door to screen for possible COVID-19 exposure/symptoms.* Your temperature will be taken.
  • Patients will be registered with our registration team and directed to fill out a patient health and consent form. 
  • You will be asked for an ID
  • You will be directed to the designated vaccination area.
  • After your shot, the medical staff member will fill out a CDC immunization card and document your dosage information. You will keep the card and bring it back at your second dosage (Moderna.) All patients should keep their cards in a safe place regardless of which vaccine they receive.
  • You will be instructed to wait in an observance area for 15 to 30 minutes (time dependent on your medical history). A health professional will be observing and assisting patients that may feel any reaction to the vaccine and will provide the appropriate medical attention.
  • If you have not had any reactions after your determined time, you can then exit the vaccination site.
  • Please continue to practice masking, social distancing, hand hygiene, and avoid large gatherings!

*We highly recommend that you keep your 2nd dose appointment as the 1st does provides 50% protection. Your protection can be as high as 94% a couple of weeks after your 2nd dose.

Facts About the Vaccine

Types of Vaccine

Moderna and Pfizer:

The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines use mRNA to train the body to respond to the COVID virus without using any live virus. ​The mRNA used in these vaccines is code for a protein that is specific to the COVID-19 virus but does not cause any harm to you. The vaccine is about 95% effective at preventing illness from COVID-19 2 weeks following the shot.

Moderna EUA Fact Sheet

Pfizer EUA Fact Sheet

The Vaccine is Safe

The safety of you and your family members are a priority for Alivio Medical Center and we recommend taking the vaccine as soon as it becomes available to you. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has worked closely with the pharmaceutical companies to ensure the vaccine is safe and effective for protecting adults. Safety is a top priority and no steps are skipped during the clinical trial process for COVID-19 vaccine. If a link is found between a side effect and a COVID-19 vaccine, public health officials will take appropriate action by weighing the benefits of the vaccine against its risks to determine if recommendations for using the vaccine should change and continuously monitor and evaluate safety thereafter. As a participating vaccine provider, Alivio will be notified of any safety issues immediately.

Vaccine and Pregnancy

CDC has recommended that women who are pregnant can get vaccinated for COVID-19. Though there are not completed studies on COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy, there are no known risks from the vaccines to pregnant people. However, pregnant people who get infected with COVID-19 are at risk for more severe illness, such as ICU admission, being on life support, or death. Alivio recommends that pregnant people talk to their doctor about getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

Side Effects

There are side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine. This is normal, and a sign your body is building immunity. To increase your protection, it is important to get both doses of the vaccine. The most common side effects are fever, chills, tiredness, or headache. At the injection site, you may experience pain, redness or swelling. Although these side effects may be unpleasant for 1-3 days, they are not dangerous. People with history of significant allergic reactions to vaccines, food, or medicine should consult with their doctor before receiving the vaccine.

The Vaccines Do NOT Contain Live Viruses

None of the COVID-19 vaccines currently in development in the United States use the live virus that causes COVID-19. There are several different types of vaccines in development. However, the goal for each of them is to teach our immune systems how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19. Sometimes this process can cause symptoms, such as fever. These symptoms are normal and are a sign that the body is building immunity and learning how to fight the vaccine. It typically takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity after vaccination. That means it is possible a person could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after vaccination and get sick. This is because the vaccine has not had enough time to provide protection.

Why is it important for our Latino Communities to get the Vaccine?

Many of Alivio’s communities have not had the luxury of staying home throughout the pandemic.  Working from home is near to impossible for employees of the agricultural and service sectors, manufacturing, food and hospitality industries.  The people working in essential roles are often those at highest risk for the worst negative outcomes of this disease. We are strongly advocating for vaccination of our communities and are here to provide education, science based information, support and resources so that you can receive the vaccine. In fact, the majority of Alivio’s staff has vaccinated with confidence and strongly recommends you do too!

Please see the following fact sheet to learn more about the benefits, safety and importance of the Covid-19 vaccine: