UPDATE: The COVID vaccine is now required for Nursing Home workers. Read more here.
HOW TO GET THE COVID-19 VACCINE AND BOOSTER
Caregivers around the State are continuing to receive the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines. Everyone in the State 5 years of age and older is able to get their COVID vaccine shot and caregivers are eligible to receive booster shots.
COVID Vaccine Booster Shots
All caregivers are eligible for their first COIVD booster shot because we are healthcare professionals.
- If you got the Pfizer or Moderna shot, you can get a booster if it’s been at least 5 months since your second shot. You can get any of the authorized COVID vaccines as your booster.
- If you got the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen shot, you can get a booster if it’s been at last 2 months after your shot. You can get any of the authorized COVID vaccines as your booster.
Find a vaccine provider:
- By phone or text. Call the DOH Statewide Vaccine Finder phone line at 1-800-525-0127 or 833-VAX-HELP, then press # and 1 for English, 2 for Spanish, and 3 for all other languages. Text your zip code to GETVAX (438829) or VACUNA (822862) to find a vaccine provider near you.
- Online. You can also look online for an appointment at the DOH vaccine locator.
- Through Kaiser Permanente. Kaiser Permanente is vaccinating everyone, even if you don’t have Kaiser health insurance. Go here to make a COVID-19 vaccination appointment at Kaiser Permanente or by calling 1-800-352-3610.
- At Home. If you or your client are not able to leave home for a vaccine, you can request Homebound Vaccination Services. To do so:
- Call the COVID-19 Assistance Hotline at 1-800-525-0127, then press #. Let them know you need “homebound vaccination services”.
- Call your local health department (contact information can be found here) and tell them you need “homebound vaccination services”.
Credentials are not needed to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
“I was excited to get vaccinated to protect my loved ones and residents, along with myself — because it’s been proven safe and effective.”
— Shelly Hughes, CNA North Cascades Health & Rehabilitation, Bellingham
Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccines
Q: Do I need insurance to get the vaccine?
A: No, the COVID-19 vaccine is free for everyone and no insurance is needed. Vaccination providers cannot charge you for the vaccine, including copays or coinsurance, or deny the vaccine to anyone without health insurance, or who is underinsured or out of network.
Q: Who can get the vaccine now in Washington state?
A: Anyone 5 years of age or older is now eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Q: My client can’t leave home. How do I get the vaccine for them?
A: You can request “homebound vaccination services”. To do so:
- Call the COVID-19 Assistance Hotline at 1-800-525-0127, then press #. Let them know you need “homebound vaccination services”.
- Complete this form to request homebound vaccination services.
- Call your local health department (contact information can be found here) and tell them you need “homebound vaccination services”.
Q: Do I still need the vaccine if I already had COVID?
A: Yes, you should be vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19. That’s because experts do not yet know how long you are protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19. Even if you have already recovered from COVID-19, it is possible that you could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 again.
Q: I’m a caregiver, where can I get PPE?
A: Together, we fought for and won free PPE for caregivers. APs should request PPE through their agencies. IPs can order one PPE kit per month, per client, through Workday in CDWA’s DirectMyCare portal.
Q: Can I get COVID-19 from the Vaccine?
A: No. There are no live virus particles. While you might feel minor, temporary side effects from the injection, it is impossible to contract the virus from the vaccine.
Q: Will the vaccine cause side effects? If so, how long might they last?
A: Some people who get a COVID-19 vaccine will experience side effects, particularly after a second dose. The side effects of the vaccine appear to be minor and temporary. Participants have reported pain at the injection site, fatigue, and occasional fever, headache, or aching muscles and joints. These side effects fade within 1-2 days.
These side effects are actually common with all vaccines: they are a sign that a vaccine is working and triggering an immune response.
