COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions

No. OhioHealth is a recognized healthcare provider, so no prescription is needed at our COVID-19 vaccine clinics.

Walk-ins are accepted at several OhioHealth COVID-19 vaccine clinics during designated hours. Patients with an OhioHealth MyChart account can schedule online (for their initial vaccination only). Your OhioHealth Physician Group primary care provider can also schedule your appointment, and many offer the vaccine at office visits. Vaccine recipients younger than 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

COVID-19 vaccine appointments and walk-in vaccinations and boosters are available at designated OhioHealth vaccine clinics and some OhioHealth Physician Group Primary Care physician offices. Our hospitals, emergency departments and urgent care locations are not providing COVID-19 vaccines to the public. 

You may also receive the vaccine at retail clinics and other providers throughout Ohio. To see a list of retail sites and providers offering the COVID-19 vaccine, visit the Ohio Department of Health website.

OhioHealth walk-in vaccination clinics will provide second doses if you bring your vaccination card. Second doses can't be scheduled online. Primary vaccine doses must be the same type, but boosters can be different from your primary vaccine type.

If you received the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine, you do not require a second dose.

All FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines will be safe and offer a significant level of immunity to people who receive them, so the best COVID-19 vaccine to receive is the one available to you.

Many OhioHealth COVID-19 vaccine clinics are providing walk-in vaccinations and boosters during designated hours. Walk-ins are not available at OhioHealth hospitals, emergency departments or urgent care locations.

The COVID-19 vaccines and boosters will be provided at no cost to you. You may be asked for your insurance card as part of your vaccination process. This is because OhioHealth bills insurance providers for the cost of administering the vaccine, but these costs are not passed on to you. We will not bill you for any balance, deductible, copay or coinsurance. Call the OhioHealth Price Line with questions at (614) 566-8707 or (toll free) (844) 393-1035.

If you do not have health insurance, or do not have your insurance card, you will not be turned away, and you will not be charged for the vaccine. OhioHealth will submit for reimbursement from the government through the CARES Act for uninsured individuals.

There is currently no combined flu and COVID-19 vaccine. However, it is safe to receive both of them at the same time.

Any vaccine that receives FDA authorization will offer some level of immunity to COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccine is not expected to provide full immunity, like the vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) or chickenpox do. It will likely function more like a flu shot, which provides incomplete or partial immunity. In that case, recipients could still develop COVID-19, but the symptoms would be less severe.

The vaccine offers immunity by activating antibodies to fight the virus in your immune system so that if you’re exposed, your body can fight the virus before you get sick. Although the vaccine is not expected to provide full immunity, it is the most effective way to avoid contracting COVID-19 or minimizing symptoms if you do contract COVID-19.

It is not known how long natural immunity from COVID-19 infection lasts. Because of the severe health risks of COVID-19, you may be advised to get a vaccine even if you’ve recovered from COVID-19.

Minor side effects are an indication that your body is responding to the vaccine and building protection against COVID-19. The side effects may feel like cold or flu symptoms, and may even affect your ability to do daily activities, but should go away in a few days.

Even if you have been vaccinated, you may still be able to get sick with COVID-19 and potentially spread it to others who have higher risks of complications. You should continue to wear a mask, practice social distancing and follow other preventive measures for COVID-19.

People with serious allergic reactions, such as anaphylaxis, should discuss the COVID-19 vaccine with their doctor before receiving it.

People who have a short-term illness, such as strep throat or a cold, should wait to get the vaccine until they’re feeling better.

The U.S. vaccine safety system ensures that all vaccines are as safe as possible. Clinical trials are used to study the effectiveness of vaccines in thousands of study participants. Data from these trials is provided to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to determine vaccine safety and effectiveness. If the FDA determines a vaccine candidate meets its rigorous safety and effectiveness requirements, it can make the vaccine available for use through approval or emergency use authorization. After the FDA makes its determination, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) reviews available data before making final vaccine recommendations to the CDC. The COVID-19 vaccine development process involved several steps comparable with those used to develop other vaccines, and there have been no shortcuts in the vaccine development process.

OhioHealth cannot replace physical immunization cards. If you received your COVID-19 vaccine at an OhioHealth clinic or location, you can view your immunization record in MyChart.

• Sign in to MyChart online or in the OhioHealth mobile app.
• Tap or click Menu, and select COVID-19 in the My Record section. You have a few options when sharing your vaccination or test result:
  
  • Option 1) Expand the details of your vaccination or test and take a screenshot.
  • Option 2) Tap or click the Download/Export button and select Download vaccination PDF, or Export to Health Wallet if you have a supported app.
  • Option 3) Tap or click the QR Codes button to be scanned at participating locations using the SMART Health Card Verifier app.

If you don't have a MyChart account, but received your vaccination from OhioHealth, you can request an activation code today.

Swollen lymph nodes under the arm are a known side effect of COVID-19 vaccination that can be misidentified as breast cancer during screening exams. Consider scheduling screening mammograms, ultrasounds and MRIs before your first dose of the vaccine or six weeks after your final dose. This is only recommended when possible, and if it will not delay necessary care. Don’t postpone a breast exam if a new breast lump or symptoms appear, such as nipple discharge, skin changes or palpable adenopathy (abnormally large lymph nodes). Breast screening is one of the best ways to detect cancer early. Talk with your doctor if you are unsure whether you should delay breast screening due to COVID-19 vaccination.

Vaccinated people can be infected with COVID-19 and spread it to others, even if they have no symptoms. However, compared to unvaccinated people, fully vaccinated people have a lower risk of infection. In addition, the risk of becoming ill, being hospitalized, or dying from COVID-19 is much lower.

In areas with substantial or high spread, CDC recommends that everyone wear a mask in public indoor settings to prevent further spread.

If you are fully vaccinated, you have a significantly lower risk of getting infected with COVID-19 compared to an unvaccinated person. Clinical trial data and real-world data demonstrate the vast majority of vaccinated people who acquire COVID-19 have minimal to no symptoms and are not hospitalized.