Roll up your sleeve against COVID-19.

Everyone ages 5 and older is eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccines are widely available and you don’t need to make an appointment (unless you want to). With drop-in clinics offering extended hours across Santa Clara County, it is so easy to roll up your sleeve and get the vaccine. You can even do it today!

For the latest information on COVID-19 vaccination in Santa Clara County, including locations and hours of drop-in clinics, visit www.sccfreevax.org.

The CDC recommends that anyone 5 years or older get the COVID-19 vaccine to stop the spread. By getting vaccinated, at any age, you are not only protecting yourself from COVID-19, but you are also protecting your friends, family, and community.

You are eligible for a booster in Santa Clara County if the following applies:

• You received your second Pfizer dose five months ago and you are 12 years and older
• You received your second Moderna dose six months ago and you are 18 years and older
• You received your Johnson & Johnson shot at least two months ago and you are 18 years and older

Boosters are available for all vaccine types at every County site.

Visit the CDC website for the latest updates on CDC booster recommendations.

Yes, COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use authorization (EUA). The vaccines were developed quickly due to a solid foundation of existing research and development on other strains of coronavirus. All the usual and required steps were taken during the development process, including testing the vaccine with thousands of volunteers of different ages, races, and ethnicities. The vaccines meet all safety standards and are recommended by health experts and doctors.

It is possible you will experience some mild, short-term side effects from the vaccine. This is normal and can be a sign that your body is building immunity against the virus. A small number of people have had an allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), but these cases are extremely rare and can be treated by a provider. Learn more about COVID-19 vaccine safety from the CDC.

The vaccines do not contain coronavirus and cannot give you COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccines teach our immune systems how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19. It normally takes a few weeks after vaccination for the body to build protection (immunity) against the virus.

Yes, you should be vaccinated whether or not you already had COVID-19 because:

• Research has not yet shown how long you are protected from getting COVID-19 again after you recover from COVID-19.
• Vaccination helps protect you even if you've already had COVID-19.

One study showed that unvaccinated people who already had COVID-19 are more than 2 times more likely than vaccinated people to get COVID-19 again.

Yes, the vaccines are safe. The CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccinations for people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future. Pregnant and recently pregnant people are more likely to get very sick with COVID-19 than non-pregnant people.

Yes, free transportation is available for those who need it. For Santa Clara Family Health Plan members, we offer transportation to COVID-19 vaccine and testing sites at no cost. Use the “Request a Taxi” form on the member portal at member.scfhp.com (we will call you to confirm). You may also request a ride by calling our Customer Service representatives at the numbers below:

• Medi-Cal Members: 1-800-260-2055, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• Cal MediConnect Members: 1-877-723-4795, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• TTY: 711

If you are not a member of Santa Clara Family Health Plan, free transportation is still available. Transit trips are free because VTA is currently not collecting fares. Please remember to follow the latest CDC guidelines for wearing face masks when using buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation.

The County and VTA have launched a free, door-to-door service to transport patients to their vaccine appointments. Accessible VTA paratransit vehicles will pick patients up, take them to their appointment, wait for them, and then provide the return trip. Anyone for whom transportation is a barrier to getting vaccinated can utilize this service, 7 days per week. Call the COVID-19 Assistance Navigation (CAN-19) resource hotline at 1-408-809-2124 at least 48 hours prior to your vaccine appointment to request this no-cost service. VTA can provide up to 50 rides per day.

Even though the vaccines are highly effective, not enough people have chosen to be vaccinated yet. For everyone’s safety, masks and distancing are still effective steps to take, even if not required. After you get your vaccine, you should still:

• Wear your mask
• Stay at least six feet apart from others
• Wash your hands often, and
• Stay home as much as possible while everyone gets vaccinated.

For more information about what is safe to do once you are vaccinated, visit this CDC guidance.

No, you can get a COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines, including a flu vaccine, during the same visit. Research shows that any possible side effects after getting vaccinated for COVID-19 are generally the same when given alone or with other vaccines.

There is currently no evidence that shows that any vaccine, including any of the COVID-19 vaccines, cause fertility problems in males.