How to get the COVID-19 vaccine at Walmart

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Get the COVID-19 vaccine at Walmart

Nearly six million people in the United States have received a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). So far, most of the vaccines have gone to priority groups i.e. healthcare workers, people in nursing homes and the elderly. But as more and more doses become available, more people will be able to join the line.

Over the next few months, you should be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine not only at healthcare facilities and doctor’s offices, but also at retailers like Walmart.

Here’s what you need to know about the vaccine and how to get one from Walmart when the time comes.

Why is the vaccine important?

The vaccine helps protect you from COVID-19 and it will also help protect the people and communities around you. If enough people get vaccinated, we may even be able to get what’s called herd immunity. This is when enough people are immune to the disease so that it is no longer easily spread.

This does not mean that the disease goes away completely. (In fact, you can catch a coronavirus more than once.) It just means that it isn’t spreading enough to be a pandemic or epidemic, says H. Dirk Sostman, MD, president of the Houston Methodist Academic Institute. “Think of it like a forest fire. If there is less dry wood on the forest floor, it will be harder for the fire to spread, ”he says. “Sensitive people are like the fuel of the virus.” If fewer people are susceptible to the virus because they have been immunized, the virus has nowhere to go.

When do we get collective immunity?

No one knows exactly how many people need to be vaccinated to gain herd immunity, although in the case of COVID-19, many experts say around 70% of the population, says Dr Sostman. Here’s why the coronavirus is different from every other epidemic in history.

Are vaccines effective?

The two vaccines that are currently available in the United States – one from Moderna and one from Pfizer – are each about 95 percent effective, if both doses are administered, according to the World Health Organization.

This means that there have been 95% fewer cases of COVID-19 in people who have received the vaccine in recent clinical trials compared to those who have not been vaccinated. This is a remarkably high number.

In contrast, the typical flu shot is only 40 to 60 percent effective, according to the CDC. Find out why you need a new flu shot every year.

“The Pfizer vaccine and the Moderna vaccine… are equally effective and it doesn’t matter which vaccine people get,” says Alex McDonald, MD, a practicing family physician in San Bernardino, Calif. “I tell people to take whatever is available to you. However, make sure that the two doses you receive are from the same vaccine. “

Will the vaccines protect against new strains of the virus?

At least two new variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, have been identified, one from the UK and the other from South Africa. Recent research (not yet peer reviewed), published in bioRxiv, indicates that the Pfizer vaccine will in fact cover mutations in the British COVID-19 virus. Scientists are still investigating whether existing vaccines will cover the version of the virus first identified in South Africa.

Who should – and should not – get vaccinated?

Public health authorities are encouraging as many people as possible to get vaccinated, especially those at high risk of complications from COVID-19. The Food and Drug Administration has approved the Pfizer vaccine for people 16 years of age and older. Moderna vaccine can be given to people 18 years of age and older.

The only people who should not be getting the COVID-19 vaccine at this point are those who have had a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose of the same vaccine or one of its ingredients, the CDC says.

People with a history of allergic reactions, including to other vaccines, should be monitored for 15 to 30 minutes after receiving their injection. You can also get a COVID-19 vaccine if you’ve been infected with the virus in the past, although you should wait to recover from any symptoms. Here are the signs that you may have already had COVID-19.

Is the vaccine safe?

Even though a few people have had allergic reactions to the vaccine, the two vaccines currently available are still very safe. The most common side effect is the same as with any vaccine – a sore arm where the needle entered. Some people also have flu-like symptoms like headache, mild fever, chills, and muscle pain.

These are more common with the second dose, but they go away in about 24 hours and can be easily treated with Tylenol or Motrin, says Dr. Sostman. In fact, this is actually a good sign. “These are manifestations of your body’s proper reaction to the vaccine,” he adds. “These are not security concerns.”

What is the vaccination process?

Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses to be fully effective. The two doses of Pfizer vaccine should be given 21 days apart, while the two doses of Moderna are 28 days apart. Right now, experts are advising people to avoid any other vaccines within 14 days of getting the Covid-19 vaccine.

Most people with health insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid, shouldn’t have to pay for a vaccine. The federal government has also purchased millions of doses for uninsured people, according to the Commonwealth Fund.

How do I get a COVID-19 vaccine from Walmart?

Walmart is already helping deliver the Moderna vaccine to healthcare workers in New Mexico. Ultimately, it will offer vaccines in more than 5,000 Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies across the United States. First, there will be essential workers, first responders, and older Americans in “Priority 1B” and “Priority 1C” as designated by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

Walmart predicts that pharmacists at Walmart and Sam’s Club will be able to administer COVID-19 vaccines to all Americans in the spring and summer. Sites ensure they have freezers and other equipment and supplies to store and administer doses. It is not yet known if any appointments will be necessary. But the chain is putting processes in place to make sure people are notified when they need their second dose.

Then here are some other services you didn’t know you could get at Walmart.

Sources:

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “CDC COVID Data Tracker”

  • Walmart: “Administration of COVID-19 vaccines”

  • US Food and Drug Administration: “Briefing Document Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine”

  • New England Journal of Medicine: “Safety and efficacy of the BNT162b2 Covid-19 mRNA vaccine”

  • bioRvix: “Neutralization of the N501Y SARS-CoV-2 mutant by sera caused by the BNT162b2 vaccine”

  • World Health Organization: “Overview of Vaccine Effectiveness and Vaccine Effectiveness”

  • CDC: “Vaccine Effectiveness: How well do influenza vaccines work?”

  • Alex McDonald, MD, practicing family physician, San Bernardino, Calif.

  • CDC: “Interim clinical considerations for the use of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines currently authorized in the United States”

  • Commonwealth Fund: “COVID-19 vaccine is coming, but will it be paid for? Federal and State Policies to Address Gaps in Insurance Coverage »

  • Walmart: “Walmart Begins Administering Its First COVID-19 Vaccines to Healthcare Workers in New Mexico”

  • CDC: “Evidence table for the allocation of COVID-19 vaccines in phases 1b and 1c of the vaccination program”

  • Walmart: “Pharmacy locator”

  • Walmart: “Walmart Prepares To Administer COVID-19 Vaccine Once Approved”

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The post How to get the COVID-19 vaccine at Walmart first appeared in Reader’s Digest.

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