How to get vaccinated
What to bring when you get vaccinated
A mask.
Your health insurance information, if you have it. If you do not have health insurance, that is OK. You do not need health insurance to get the vaccine.
Legal ID, if you have one and feel comfortable sharing it. You do not need a legal ID to get the vaccine.
If you are getting a second dose, bring your vaccination card if you have it.
Doses of COVID-19 vaccine
Some COVID-19 vaccines require one dose and some require two doses. Your health care provider will let you know which vaccine you are getting. If you get the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine, you only need one dose. You do not need to make a second appointment. Two doses are needed for the COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. The time between the doses depends on the vaccine you are getting. The Pfizer vaccine (ultra-cold vaccine) should be given 21 days (three weeks) apart and the Moderna vaccine (frozen vaccine) should be given 28 days apart (one month).
Second dose for two-dose COVID-19 vaccines It is very important that someone gets both vaccine doses, the same product for each dose, and that the doses are given at the correct time apart. The vaccine works best after two doses. If someone only gets one dose, they may not be as well protected against COVID-19. If it has been longer than 21 or 28 days (depending on which vaccine product you got) before you get your second dose, try to get your second dose as soon as you can. The second dose boosts your immunity to COVID-19 and will help even if it is a longer time between shots. Even if it is beyond the recommended amount of time (21 or 28 days), go get your second dose. You will not have to start over.
We recommend that you schedule an appointment for your second dose when you get the first dose. Make sure you write down the appointment date somewhere you will remember.
Record of vaccination (e.g., vaccination card)
You should receive a card when you get your COVID-19 vaccine that has the vaccine product you got and the date you were vaccinated.
Hold on to your vaccine card between shots (if you got a two-dose vaccine) and after you are fully vaccinated. Bring the card with you to your second appointment so that both doses can be recorded on the same card.
Keep your card in a safe place with your other records.
Take a picture of your card on your phone.
It is okay if you lose your card. If you lose it in-between shots, ask for a new one when you get your second dose and ask them to record the first dose on it.
If you have not made an appointment for your second dose already and need the information about your first dose, you can request your vaccination record from the Minnesota Department of Health to see which vaccine product you got and when you need your second shot. Go to Find My Immunization Record.
Your health care provider can also look up your immunization record to help determine when you should get your second dose.
You do not need to laminate your vaccine card, but if you do, wait until you are fully vaccinated.
If you lose your vaccine card after you are fully vaccinated, you can request your vaccination record at Find My Immunization Record.
We do not yet know if someone will need to show proof of vaccination for events such as traveling, concerts, or other activities. CDC has issued new guidance on traveling for fully vaccinated people, but does not state any requirements for showing proof of vaccination: When You've Been Fully Vaccinated.
Wait to get other vaccines
It is recommended that a person should wait 14 days before or after COVID-19 vaccination to receive a vaccine for other diseases, like Tdap vaccine.
Residency
You do not have to be a resident of Minnesota to get vaccinated here.
Cost/insurance
All COVID-19 vaccines are free. However, health care providers can charge an administration fee to insurance companies for giving the vaccine to someone. This means that you might be asked for your insurance information when you get the COVID-19 vaccine. If you have insurance, you should provide that information when you get your vaccine. The administration fee helps cover costs of staffing, space, printing, extra supplies, and more. You can still get the COVID-19 vaccine if you do not have insurance. No one should receive a bill for the vaccine or administration fee. If you get a bill, call the place where you got your vaccine and let them know you should not have to pay.
Providers can get the administration fee reimbursed by the patient's public or private insurance company or, for uninsured patients, by the Health Resources and Services Administration's Provider Relief Fund at COVID-19 Claims Reimbursement to Health Care Providers and Facilities for Testing, Treatment, and Vaccine Administration for the Uninsured.
Scams
MDH and health care providers will never contact you and ask for personal information or credit card information in order to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Avoid COVID-19 Vaccine Scams (PDF) Fact sheet with tips on how to spot and report vaccine scams.
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