Get Vaccinated To Help Protect Against Serious COVID Illness and Long COVID
Making sure you are up to date on your COVID vaccinations is still very important. Even though you don’t hear about COVID as often, it is still out there and it can cause serious illness and even death.
COVID can affect anyone, and the disease can cause symptoms ranging from mild to severe. There are certain things can make people more likely to get very sick with COVID-19, such as being an older adult, having certain medical conditions and being pregnant. We also know that certain settings and activities can make you more likely to get infected with the virus that causes COVID-19.
People who are up to date on their COVID vaccines have lower risk of serious illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19 than people who are unvaccinated or who have not finished getting the recommended doses. Getting vaccinated against COVID may also help protect people from getting Long COVID.
- Everyone 6 months and older should get an updated 2023-24 COVID-19 vaccine.
- People 65 years and older who received 1 dose of any updated COVID-19 vaccine (Moderna, Pfizer or Novavax) should receive 1 additional dose of an updated COVID-19 vaccine at least 4 months after the previous updated dose. For more information about Novavax , click here
- If you are pregnant or recently had a baby, you are at higher risk for serious complications from COVID. That is why pregnancy experts recommend COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant and postpartum people (including those who are breastfeeding). View this handout from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AGOG) to learn more about the dangers of COVID-19 to you and your baby, and to find out why getting the COVID vaccine is the safer choice.
Side Effects from COVID Vaccines
Some people have side effects after getting their COVID-19 vaccine, while others might have no side effects. Side effects may affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away within a few days. Learn more about common side effects after COVID-19 vaccination. Serious side effects from the COVID vaccine are rare.
What Else Can I Do to Protect Myself and My Loved Ones from Serious COVID Illness?
In addition to making sure you and your family members are up to date on their COVID vaccinations and booster shots, there are also other ways to help protect against COVID-19.
- Test for COVID – Test immediately if you have COVID symptoms. If you were exposed to COVID-19 and do not have symptoms, wait at least 5 full days after you were exposed to COVID before testing. If you test too early, you may be more likely to get an inaccurate result. Learn more about self-testing at home.
- Masks – Wear a well-fitted mask over your nose and mouth to help to reduce the chance of getting and spreading COVID-19.
- COVID-19 Symptoms – Know the symptoms of COVID. Symptoms can range from mild to severe, and appear 2–14 days after you come in contact with the virus that causes COVID-19.
- Travel– Make sure to protect yourself and others when you travel – around the District and around the world. While there is no longer a CDC requirement for wearing masks on public transportation and at transportation hubs, the CDC still recommends that people where masks to help protect themselves and others from COVID. For the most up-to-date travel rules, visit CDC’s Travel page.
Get the Facts
There is a lot of misinformation out there when it comes to COVID and COVID vaccines. To make the best health decisions for yourself and your family, it is important to be well informed, get your health information from credible sources, and understand your risk – and the risk of those around you – of getting seriously sick from COVID.
Find easy-to-understand answers to your COVID questions:
- CDC’s Director Answers Your Latest Questions about COVID (Video Posted on 9/19/23)
- DC Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (DC AAP) – Resources for Families and Caregivers
- Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) – Health and Safety Guidance
- Children’s National
- How to Become a Patient of the Pediatric Post-COVID Program (Children’s National)
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
- American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG)
- Black Coalition Against COVID
- Vaccinate Your Family (VYF)
- Long COVID Kids
In the District
For the most up-to-date information on COVID spreading throughout the District, visit DC’s Key Metrics webpage. Get more information about protecting yourself and your loved ones against COVID by visiting DC’s COVID website.
Testing for COVID
COVID-19 testing in the District has concluded and results from all processed tests have been distributed. As of April 14, 2023, DC Health is no longer distributing COVID-19 test results through system generated email or from testingresults@dc.gov. You may view COVID-19 test results via your LabCorp Portal (https:/patient.labcorp.com). If you have not created a LabCorp portal, please visit the LabCorp portal and click on “Create an Account”. If you are experiencing issues with logging into your LabCorp Portal, please contact LabCorp at https://www.labcorp.com/contact-us or by phone at (800) 859-0391.
Get Vaccinated in the District
Find COVID vaccine/booster appointments at pharmacies, clinics and healthcare providers across DC at Vaccines.gov or by calling 1-800-232-0233. (DC’s COVID Centers are now permanently closed.) You can also find more information from DC Health.
Paying for COVID Vaccines
COVID-19 vaccines remain free for most people through their health insurance plans, Medicaid, Medicare or through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program.
If you are an adult between 18 and 64 years old, without health insurance or if your insurance does not cover all COVID-19 vaccine costs, you can still get free COVID vaccines through the CDC’s Bridge Access Program. COVID vaccines through this program are available at select local healthcare providers, local health centers, and pharmacies. Visit Vaccines.gov to find providers near you that offer no-cost COVID-19 vaccines through the CDC’s Bridge Access Program. Learn more.
Get Proof of Your COVID Vaccination in DC
Just enter a few details in DC’s Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record portal to get a link to a QR code and a digital copy of your COVID-19 vaccination record. If you want to share your proof of vaccination, you can use either the electronic version you’ll get from the portal or the card you were given at time of vaccination.
COVID Treatments
There are treatments that can help people who are sick with COVID-19. Visit the DC COVID website to find out more about treatments options. These treatments are NOT a substitute for the COVID-19 vaccine.