Covid-19 Vaccinations in Orange, CT
COVID-19 can be frightening to deal with, and for a while, there was no way to fight back against it. However, we stand a fighting chance with the free COVID-19 vaccination and booster shots. These help lower the virus’s transmissibility and reduce the symptoms an infected person may get. Reach out to Medical Walk-In Care for a walk-in or pre-booked appointments.
How does a vaccine work?
Vaccines train the immune system to recognize things such as viruses, allergies (hyperlink), and other things the body thinks are foreign agents. The COVID-19 vaccine essentially takes a weakened or dead version of the virus to inject into your body. This helps reduce the number of symptoms one would get from a potential infection. As more people get the vaccine, the goal is to eventually manage the disease so well that it will no longer be a concern in our daily lives.
Why do I need a COVID-19 Vaccine?
There are two reasons to take the COVID-19 vaccine. One is the reduction of symptoms: COVID-19 can cause serious respiratory issues if you do not take as many precautions against it as possible. The chances of getting moderate-to-severe symptoms of COVID-19 are heavily reduced by the vaccine when it works as intended.
The other reason is to help the healthcare workers in hospitals across the country. As beds are overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients, this reduces the availability to treat patients with heart attacks, strokes, and other serious medical conditions.
What are the side effects of the vaccine?
COVID-19 vaccine side effects include:
- Headache
- Sore arm
- Chills
- Mild fever
- Body aches
Please note that these symptoms may or may not appear, some concurrently.
The COVID-19 vaccine has a slight possibility of causing blood clotting, though not as prevalent as COVID-19 itself. Please consult with your doctor if you are concerned about the effects on your body based on your immunocompromisation.
How often do I need to get my COVID-19 Vaccine?
It may be confusing to know when to take the shots, so we broke it down in a few bullet points below.
NOTE: The CDC no longer recommends the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine and recommends you take the multi-dose mRNA vaccines created by Pfizer and Moderna.
- The first dose can be taken at any time at your local Medical Walk-In Care facility.
- Depending on which vaccine you take, Pfizer or Moderna, you may be asked to take the second dose between 3-4 weeks after your initial dose.
- Finally, any additional booster shots recommended by the CDC typically occur 6-8 months after your last COVID-19 vaccine shot.
The CDC is currently exploring whether a fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is necessary – this page will be continually updated as more information is learned about the vaccine’s efficacy towards new variants.
I Got Vaccinated but Still Contracted COVID-19. What Should I do?
COVID-19 is an airborne disease and is typically contracted through extended maskless contact with another infected individual. While the chances of spreading the disease are heavily reduced through the vaccine, there is still a possibility one can get it.
Per the CDC, you need to quarantine for the following lengths:
- If you are vaccinated and continually showing symptoms, you must stay in quarantine for at least 5 days.
- If you are vaccinated, and symptoms have dissipated quickly, or you were an asymptomatic case, you may quarantine for 5 days. Afterward, you can leave quarantine so long as you are wearing a mask at all times.
- If you are not vaccinated, you must stay quarantined for 5 days regardless of symptoms.
Vaccines are not going to eradicate a disease but manage the virus. A COVID-19 vaccine is not a cure but a management tool to help humanity reduce its impact on the world.
Get Your Vaccine!
Help protect yourself and those around you by getting the COVID-19 Vaccine at Medical Walk In Care. We accept both pre-booked and walk in appointments, every week Monday – Saturday.
Visit either of our Connecticut office locations for your vaccine appointment.
