COVID-19 Vaccine
To our Community,
We have seen a setback in recent weeks due to the variant of the COVID-19 virus. The variant of COVID-19 is now circulating in the United States and causing surging numbers of infections and hospitalizations. Scientists are discovering the strains can spread more easily than previous strains of the virus. Currently available vaccines have shown protection against serious illness and hospitalization from the variant. In fact, two doses of Pfizer or Moderna have greater than 95% protection against needing hospitalization.
Currently, Camarena Health is scheduling COVID-19 vaccinations for patients 5 and older and boosters for patients 12 and older. Vaccination will be scheduled during the week and require an appointment.
Call (559) 664-4000 to schedule your appointment today.
Vaccination Information
When receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, please note:
- Patients will need to wait 15 minutes after receiving the vaccine for an observation period in case any allergic reactions occur
- Patients with a history of a COVID-19 diagnosis may receive the vaccine immediately after completing their isolation period
- Patients under a current quarantine must wait for their quarantine period to end
- Two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and booster are required for protection against COVID-19; 1 dose for Janssen
- General side effects include muscle soreness, fatigue, headache, nausea, and fever
- Patients with a history of a COVID-19 diagnosis are likely to demonstrate more pronounced side effects
- Patients should discuss with their primary care provider if they have concerns about the vaccine before making an appointment
Now Serving:
Everyone ages 5 and older
We are happy to serve the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to those ages 5 and older, and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to those ages 18 and older. COVID-19 booster vaccines are for those ages 12 and older.
If you are needing the COVID-19 vaccine
Call Camarena Health
(559) 664-4000
To schedule an appointment today.
About the COVID-19 Vaccine
Camarena Health is currently administering the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines and booster. These vaccines have been proven to be highly effective at preventing COVID-19 infection and the complications that could develop as a result of the COVID-19 virus. The vaccines are not a live virus. It is an inactivated form of the virus. The vaccine triggers the immune defense system to learn what COVID-19 genetically looks like so that if the body were to be exposed to the actual COVID-19 virus it would know what to do and how to fight it. It requires two doses 21 days (Pfizer) or 28 days (Moderna) apart and a booster.
Whenever something is put into the body there is risk, whether it be smoking, getting a tattoo, or even taking over-the-counter medicines like ibuprofen or aspirin. Thankfully, the side effects seen with the COVID-19 vaccine have been mild-to-moderate, and limited to muscle soreness, fatigue, headache, fevers, and chills. Medically speaking, these are signs the vaccine is working. It means the immune system is building up the necessary anti-viral response that it will need if it comes into contact with actual COVID-19 virus – things like organizing white blood cells and building antibodies. Most of these side effects will go away within a couple of days and over the counter medications may be taken to help relieve them.
There is no way to know how COVID-19 will affect someone if they become infected. A lot of people get through the illness with no difficulty, but many others have become severely ill and even died. As of August 30, 2021, more than 4.5 million people around the world have died from COVID-19, and in the United States that number is over 650,000. Apart from death, COVID-19 can also cause long-term complications such as permanent lung damage or other problems that are still being discovered. Even in recoveries without complications, COVID-19 can be transmitted to others who may not fare well.
Getting a COVID-19 vaccine could help prevent someone from those long-term complications and even save their life. Getting the vaccine could also help someone become less seriously ill if they were to actually get COVID-19. Getting vaccinated could also protect those nearby, including children and high-risk individuals, of serious illness from COVID-19. Children under 5 years old are unable to be vaccinated at this time, but by adults and children over 5 getting vaccinated, they can help avoid passing the infection to younger children and other vulnerable individuals.
COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people 5 years of age or older. Under the Emergency Use Authorization (EAU), the following age groups are authorized to receive the vaccination:
- Pfizer: ages 5 and older
- Moderna: ages 18 and older
- Janssen: ages 18 and older
Children outside of these authorized age groups should not receive the COVID-19 vaccine at this time.
COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people ages 5 and older, including people who are pregnant, lactating, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future. Any of the currently FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines can be administered to the people in these groups; Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) does not state a product preference. However, women under 50 years of age should be aware of the rare risk of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) after the receipt of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine and the availability of the other currently FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) for which this risk has not been seen. There is no evidence that any of the COVID-19 vaccines affect current or future fertility.
COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions
We don’t really know yet how long someone is protected against COVID-19 after they’ve had it, this is why it’s recommended to still get the COVID-19 vaccine.
There can be short-term, mild or moderate side effects that get better on their own without complications, usually within 1-2 days. This means the vaccine is working to get your immunity against COVID-19 going!
While the vaccine may prevent you from getting sick, we don’t know if you can still carry and transmit the virus to other people, so it’s best to continue to wear a mask until we know for sure.
This is completely false. While some people may develop mild to moderate side effects, these are possible any time you get a vaccine and are not considered serious or life-threatening. And though it is true that many people who get the virus don’t die from it, we are seeing large numbers of long-term complications in those that got it. The vaccine can help prevent this.
You cannot get a COVID-19 infection from the COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine is not a live virus. It triggers your immune system to be ready for if you actually get exposed to the COVID-19 virus.
There is no microchip, or tracking device, or any other type of device that will be implanted in your body.
Current mRNA COVID-19 vaccines do not require the use of fetal tissue in the production process.
COVID-19 vaccines have not been linked to infertility or miscarriage. Many pregnant women have become infected with COVID-19 and there is no evidence of increased miscarriage rates in them, and the same immune response in these women would be the same response seen with the vaccine.
Neither the Pfizer nor the Moderna vaccines contain egg.
Both Pfizer and Moderna have reported that their vaccines contain no preservatives.
The speed with which the vaccine was developed was due to pharmaceutical companies heavily investing resources into developing a vaccine that would have world-wide impact due to the pandemic. The safety had to be approved by the FDA and the Advisory Committee on Immunization.