Updated March 18, 2021
The Virginia Department of Health (VDOH) continues to focus vaccine distribution through public health departments. All Virginia residents, including members of Kaiser Permanente, should pre-register for a COVID-19 vaccine through the statewide pre-registration system as this may be the fastest route to the vaccine. Fairfax County has chosen not to participate in the statewide system. If you live in Fairfax County, please pre-register for the vaccine with the county’s department of health.
Kaiser Permanente is now receiving vaccine supply from the state of Virginia. If you are interested in receiving a vaccine, please let us know by completing the COVID-19 vaccine interest questionnaire on kp.org. When you qualify for the vaccine and the state supplies us with enough vaccine, we will send you a secure message with a link to schedule your vaccination appointment. If you don’t have a kp.org account, register on kp.org now.
If you are offered a vaccine from the state or your employer before we reach out to you to schedule an appointment, please get vaccinated. Keep in mind, regardless of where you go, vaccines are given by appointment only.
Click here to read our frequently asked questions, or scroll to the bottom of this page.
You may also call 1-855-550-0951 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for more information about COVID vaccines or to speak with an agent, available in English and Spanish.
If you live in one state and work in a different state:
To understand when you qualify for the COVID-19 vaccine based upon your residency or where you work, please look at the phases for the County where you work and where you reside.
Below is detailed information on how the Commonwealth of Virginia is defining the phases of COVID-19 vaccination.
Phase 1b (in progress*)
Who qualifies?
NEXT PHASE: Phase 1c (in progress*)
Who qualifies?
LATER PHASE: Phase 2
Who qualifies?
*For more detail on each of these phases, click here.
For Kaiser Permanente members – Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get updates on when I can get the vaccine? Should I call or email my doctor’s office or member services?
Answer: We know our patients have many questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. The best way for you to stay up to date on the vaccine is to visit this page often, as well as the website of your local health department. We kindly ask that you do not email your doctor for information about vaccine appointments. If we are able to obtain supply from the state or county health department, we will contact you when you meet the eligibility criteria.
I want to see what my doctor thinks about me receiving the vaccine.
Answer: Our physicians strongly recommend that all adults receive the vaccine as soon as they qualify and vaccine supply allows.
If you have a history of allergies, our doctors still recommend you get the vaccine. If you have a history of severe allergic reaction to prior non-COVID-19 immunization or anaphylactic food allergy, our physicians recommend staying for observation 30 minutes after you receive the injection. We urge all adults to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as they qualify and supply is available. To learn more about allergies and the COVID vaccine, please click here. The CDC also offers some great information about the COVID vaccine here.
I currently qualify to receive the vaccine, but I haven’t been vaccinated yet. How can I get vaccinated?
Answer: In accordance with directions from the Virginia Department of Health, please use this link to pre-register. Once you pre-register you can check your status at anytime. Those who live in Fairfax County should continue to pre-register on the County’s website. If you are interested in receiving a vaccine from Kaiser Permanente, please complete the COVID-19 vaccine interest questionnaire . Completing the questionnaire adds you to a “wait list” that is ordered based on when you completed it. When you qualify for the vaccine and the state supplies us with enough vaccine to vaccinate you, we will send you a secure message with a link to schedule your vaccination appointment. If you don’t have a kp.org account, register on kp.org now.
I’ve been offered a vaccine elsewhere. Should I take it, or should I wait to be vaccinated by Kaiser Permanente?
Answer: We encourage you to get vaccinated the first opportunity you get. If your employer, local health department or other vaccinator offers you an opportunity to get the shot, please do so. Please note: You will need to receive the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at the same place you received the first.
If I receive my COVID-19 vaccine outside Kaiser Permanente, how do I update my medical record?
Answer: Log on to kp.org, click on the “Medical Record,” and then select the “Questionnaires” option. Then click on the questionnaire titled “COVID-19 Immunizations Outside of Kaiser Permanente” and fill out all required fields.
Should I get the COVID-19 vaccine if I’m pregnant or considering becoming pregnant?
We recommend that people who are pregnant or considering becoming pregnant get a COVID-19 vaccine. Talk with your health care provider if you have concerns.
There are several benefits of vaccination for women who are pregnant or considering becoming pregnant:
Although the COVID-19 vaccines haven’t been tested in pregnant patients, they work similarly to existing vaccines that have been safely used during pregnancy for many years. During the first few months of vaccine administration, some 10,000 pregnant women received the vaccine, and there have been no reports of problems with these pregnancies.
You should not get the COVID-19 vaccine if you’ve had a severe allergic reaction after a previous dose of the vaccine or had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in the vaccine.
Learn more about COVID-19 and pregnancy at kp.org/maternity-covid.
Can children get a COVID-19 vaccine?
No. None of the COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the United States are approved for children under 16 years of age.
Can I walk into a Kaiser Permanente medical center without an appointment to get a COVID-19 vaccine?
Answer: No. COVID-19 vaccines can only be given to those with an appointment.
What is the cost of the vaccine?
Answer: The vaccine is offered at no cost, regardless of where you are vaccinated. If you receive the vaccine outside of Kaiser Permanente, the outside provider may bill Kaiser Permanente; if they do, we will reimburse them.
Can I request a specific vaccine?
Answer: No. Due to limited supply, there won’t be an opportunity to choose among available vaccines. Fortunately, all three vaccines approved for use in the United States have proved effective in clinical trials in preventing moderate to severe COVID-19 infections and any side effects of the vaccine were mild and temporary. Public Health officials emphasize that the best way to protect yourself and to achieve large-scale immunity within our communities is to get vaccinated with any of the three authorized COVID-19 vaccines as soon as you are eligible and there is enough available supply for you to make an appointment. Waiting until you can possibly choose one vaccine over the other puts you at an increased risk for contracting COVID-19 and could contribute to the continuation of this public health crisis.
What are the differences between the three vaccines?
Answer: The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are messenger RNA vaccines, also called mRNA vaccines. The mRNA vaccines use a small portion of the virus’s genetic make-up to create an immune response. It does not affect your DNA. The J&J/Janssen COVID vaccine uses a harmless, modified version of a cold virus to enter your cells and use their machinery to produce a harmless piece of the virus that causes COVID-19. This altered virus can’t make you sick, but it triggers an immune response that teaches your body to respond quickly should you become infected with COVID-19.
If I had the COVID-19 virus, how soon after can I receive the vaccine?
Answer: You can receive the vaccine once your symptoms have resolved and quarantine has ended. If you were treated for COVID-19 symptoms with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, you should wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
I just got my flu shot, can I still get the COVID-19 vaccine now?
Answer: You cannot receive any vaccine, including the flu shot, in the two weeks before your scheduled COVID-19 vaccine. If you have, please let us know and we will reschedule your appointment. You also need to wait two weeks after your COVID-19 vaccination to receive any additional vaccines.
If I miss my second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, do I need to start over?
Answer: Currently the CDC recommends that if you miss the second dose, you return as quickly as possible to get that 2nd dose. There is no need to start the series over.
Will the COVID-19 vaccines protect against newer variant strains of the virus?
Answer: That’s still unknown. According to the CDC, information about the characteristics of these variants is rapidly emerging. Scientists are working to learn more about how easily they might spread, whether they could cause more severe illness, and whether currently authorized vaccines will protect people against them. Currently, there is no evidence that these variants, in general, cause more severe illness or increased risk of death.
How long will the vaccines provide protection from COVID-19 infection? Will it be longer than the natural immunity that comes from contracting COVID-19?
Answer: The protection someone gains from having an infection, called natural immunity, varies depending on the disease, and it varies from person to person. Since this virus is new, we don’t know how long natural immunity might last.
Regarding the COVID-19 vaccination, experts won’t know how long immunity lasts until there is more data on how well the vaccine works.
COVID-19 can have serious, life-threatening complications, and there is no way to know how COVID-19 will affect you. And if you get sick, you could spread the disease to friends, family, and others around you. COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you by creating an antibody response without having to experience sickness or putting yourself and others at risk of severe illness and death.
Will I need a booster dose after I receive my second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine?
Answer: The need for and timing of booster doses for mRNA COVID-19 vaccines has not been established. No additional doses beyond the two-dose primary series are recommended at this time.
For people not covered by Kaiser Permanente insurance:
I am not covered by Kaiser Permanente insurance, but I would like to come to a Kaiser Permanente medical center to be vaccinated. Can I?
Answer: Please call your local health department to learn which sites are available for you to get the vaccine. To find the contact information your local health department, along with more information about getting the vaccine in Virginia, go to the Virginia Department of Health’s website.
COVID-19 Vaccines: Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson
What you need to know to prepare for and expect when you get your COVID-19 vaccine
COVID-19 vaccine: facts and myths
The impact of the COVID-19 vaccine on your health
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