COVID-19 Vaccine

See information below and please be patience with our healthcare systems as we all work on vaccinating our community:

Finding and connecting with vaccine locations in your community

Answering medical questions related to the COVID-19 vaccine

Appointment registration

And more!

The new call center will be equipped to help individuals find vaccine locations, answer medical questions related to the COVID-19 vaccine, and assist with registration, including but not limited to using the Wisconsin COVID-19 vaccine registry. This call center is available to anyone in Wisconsin, but will be particularly useful for those without internet access, or who experience barriers that inhibit internet use.

Pregnant or Breastfeeding?  Check out this fact sheet to help you make a decision about the COVID-19 Vaccine: DHS Pregnant or Breastfeeding and the COVID-19 Vaccine

Use VaccineFinder to Find a Vaccine Provider Near You!

VaccineFinder.org is a tool that allows you to enter your zip code and filter by by search radius and vaccine type. After entering this information, a map of vaccine providers will appear, as well as a list with each provider’s days and hours of operation. Clicking on the provider name will give you the information you need to schedule an appointment (either a website or a phone number). The CDC launched VaccineFinder in March, and DHS and vaccinators across our state have worked to ensure the information is complete as we continue to streamline the process.

The WI Department of Health Services has launched a new map to help you connect with a vaccinator in your area, which could be as close as your local pharmacy. If you are currently eligible for the #COVID19 vaccine, check it out. Remember, all vaccinations are still by appointment only: dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/vaccine-map.htm

Update on Johnson & Johnson Vaccine

• • The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the vaccine for persons 18 and older under the emergency use authorization (EUA).
  • The FDA updated the risk information in the EUA to inform people getting the vaccine that women ages 18-49 are most likely at risk for developing a very rare and severe type of blood clotting.
  • Vaccine providers should resume administering J&J vaccine.

• J&J is a safe and effective vaccine.
  • The benefit is that it is a single dose vaccine.
  • The single dose option is a better choice for those who may not be able to return to the same provider for a two-dose vaccine (like Pfizer and Moderna).
  • Some people may prefer a single dose vaccination if they think they will have difficulty completing a two-dose vaccination series due to work, transportation, or child care.

• • Shortness of breath
  • Chest pain
  • Leg swelling
  • Persistent abdominal pain
  • Severe or persistent headaches
  • Blurred vision
  • Easy bruising or tiny spots under the skin beyond their injection site

Potential Systemic Side Effects Occurring after COVID-19 Vaccination
Symptoms similar to COVID-19, such as fever, fatigue, headache, chills, muscle pain, and joint pain, can occur following the COVID-19 vaccination. These symptoms can be mild to moderate. They often occur within the first three days after getting vaccinated. Most symptoms resolve within 1 - 2 days of onset and are most frequent and severe following the second dose and among younger persons compared to those who are older (over 55 years of age). 

Below are the frequencies of vaccine side effects observed in the Pfizer and Moderna clinical trials.

• Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine:
• More common: pain at the injection site (84.1%) fatigue (62.9%), and headache (55.1%).
• Less common: muscle pain (38.3%), chills (31.9%), joint pain (23.6%), fever (14.2%), injection site swelling (10.5%), injection site redness (9.5%), nausea (1.1%), malaise (0.5%), and lymphadenopathy (0.3%).
• Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine:
• More common: pain at the injection site (92.0%), fatigue (70.0%), headache (64.7%), and muscle pain (61.5%).
• Less common: chills (45.4%), joint pain (46.4%), nausea/vomiting (23.0%), axillary swelling/tenderness (19.8%), fever (15.5%), injection site swelling (14.7%), and injection site redness (10.0%).

Immediate allergic reactions (including anaphylaxis) typically occur within 15-30 minutes of vaccination. Vasovagal reactions typically occur within 15 minutes of vaccination.

Cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, or loss of taste or smell are not consistent with post-vaccination symptoms, and instead may be symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 or another infection. Viral testing should be considered if someone has any of these symptoms. Positive viral (nucleic acid or antigen) tests for SARS-CoV-2, if performed, should not be attributed to the COVID-19 vaccine, as vaccination does not affect these tests.

Below is the latest vaccine side effects observed in the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

Johnson and Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 Vaccine

Side effects that have been reported with the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine include:
• Injection site reactions: pain, redness of the skin and swelling.
• General side effects: headache, feeling very tired, muscle aches, nausea, and fever.

There is a remote chance that the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine could cause a severe allergic reaction. A severe allergic reaction would usually occur within a few minutes to one hour after getting a dose of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine. For this reason, your vaccination provider may ask you to stay at the place where you received your vaccine for monitoring after vaccination. Signs of a severe allergic reaction can include:
• Difficulty breathing,
• Swelling of your face and throat,
• A fast heartbeat,
• A bad rash all over your body,
• Dizziness and weakness.

Blood clots involving blood vessels in the brain, abdomen, and legs along with low levels of platelets (blood cells that help your body stop bleeding), have occurred in some people who have received the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine. In people who developed these blood clots and low levels of platelets, symptoms began approximately one to two-weeks following vaccination. Most people who developed these blood clots and low levels of platelets were females ages 18 through 49 years. The chance of having this occur is remote. You should seek medical attention right away if you have any of the following symptoms after receiving Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine:
• Shortness of breath,
• Chest pain,
• Leg swelling,
• Persistent abdominal pain,
• Severe or persistent headaches or blurred vision,
• Easy bruising or tiny blood spots under the skin beyond the site of the injection.

These may not be all the possible side effects of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine. Serious and unexpected effects may occur. The Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine is still being studied in clinical trials.

WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT SIDE EFFECTS?
If you experience a severe allergic reaction, call 9-1-1, or go to the nearest hospital.
Call the vaccination provider or your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.

After you get the vaccine
The WI Department of Health Services (DHS) has adopted the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) new guidance for fully vaccinated people. 

Fully vaccinated people can:

• Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
• Visit with unvaccinated people (including children) from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
• Participate in outdoor activities and recreation without a mask, except in certain crowded settings and venues
• Resume domestic travel and refrain from testing before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel
• Refrain from testing before leaving the United States for international travel (unless required by the destination) and refrain from self-quarantine after arriving back in the United States
• Refrain from testing following a known exposure, if asymptomatic, with some exceptions for specific settings
• Refrain from quarantine following a known exposure if asymptomatic
• Refrain from routine screening testing if asymptomatic and feasible

For now, fully vaccinated people should continue to:

• Take precautions in indoor public settings like wearing a well-fitted mask
• Wear well-fitted masks when visiting indoors with unvaccinated people who are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease or who have an unvaccinated household member who is at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease
• Wear well-fitted masks when visiting indoors with unvaccinated people from multiple households
• Avoid indoor large-sized in-person gatherings
• Get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms
• Follow guidance issued by individual employers
• Follow CDC and health department travel requirements and recommendations

Learn more: dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/vaccine-after.htm or https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html

































What You Should Know About the Possibility of COVID-19 Illness After Vaccination

Visit the CDI's website for more information: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/effectiveness/why-measure-effectiveness/breakthrough-cases.html