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Coronavirus Info Guide: Vaccines

Note: This page is regularly updated with news from the Lake County Health Department and other reliable sources.

Vaccinations protect you and others

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective:

  • The vaccines help prevent transmission, severe symptoms, hospitalization, long COVID, and death. 
  • Breakthrough cases in fully vaccinated people are uncommon and lead to less severe illness than among unvaccinated people. 
  • People who are unvaccinated are 5 times more likely to catch COVID-19 than those who are vaccinated, more than 10 times more likely to be hospitalized from COVID-19 than those who are vaccinated, and more than 10 times more likely to die from it.

As more people are vaccinated...

  • stress on the healthcare system will decrease. Because of the current surge in COVID-19 cases in people who aren't vaccinated, hospital ICU beds may be scarce, reducing the availability of care for other urgent health problems like heart attacks, strokes, and appendicitis.
  • COVID-19 will have less opportunity to mutate into new versions.

Get vaccinated now

Vaccines are widely available and anyone age 5 and older may walk in or schedule an appointment. Ages 5–17 will receive the Pfizer vaccine and must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. U.S. citizenship is not required.

No appointments are necessary and no insurance cards are needed in order to receive a vaccine.

▶ Find additional locations near you: vaccines.gov

COVID-19 vaccine booster update 

The FDA recently updated booster shot recommendations for those who received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Both the CDC and IDPH aligned with FDA’s amended emergency use authorization (EUA) recommendations. The amended EUA made three updates:

  1. The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster is now available to children ages 12-15. CDC recommends that children ages 12-15 receive a booster if they received their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine at least five months ago.   
  2. Those that completed the initial series of the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine at least five months ago are now eligible to receive a booster. The previous time period was six months after. For those that received Moderna or Johnson & Johnson in their initial series, the six-month interval remains the same before being eligible for a booster.

    More information about COVID-19 boosters can be found on the CDC's COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shot page. If you are eligible for a booster, visit Vaccines.gov to schedule an appointment near you.
  1. A third vaccine dose has been authorized for immunocompromised children ages 5-11. More information can be found on the CDC’s COVID-19 Vaccines for Moderately or Severely Immunocompromised People.

Read the CDC’s January 4 statement and their January 5 statement regarding new recommendations and updates following the FDA’s amended EUA actions.

COVID-19 Vaccine for Children Aged 5-11

On Tuesday, November 2, the CDC endorsed the FDA’s authorization for emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11 years old. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is safe and effective for this age group and was found to be 90.7% effective in preventing COVID-19. Children in this age group will receive two doses, given at least three weeks apart. The dose they will receive is one-third of the dose (10 micrograms) that is given to those ages 12 and up (30 micrograms). Additionally, smaller needles will be used.  

Children may experience some side effects. Side effects are normal and a sign that the body is building protection.  If you don’t experience side effects, that does not mean that the vaccine is not working. Everyone responds differently. If side effects do occur, they should go away within a few days. More information can be found on the CDC page COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens.  

It may take time for some locations to offer vaccines to this new age group and the CDC anticipates more availability in the coming weeks. It is highly recommended to schedule your child’s COVID-19 vaccine appointment ahead of time rather than walking into a location administering vaccinations to children. There is a high demand for this age group. To ensure your child gets vaccinated at a time that is convenient for you, It is recommended that you schedule an appointment at your preferred location.  

Take the following steps to get your child vaccinated: 

  • Contact your child’s pediatrician or your family doctor. 
  • Check with your local pharmacy. 
  • Look for communication from your child’s school about upcoming vaccination clinics. 
  • Register on AllVax so that you will be notified when you can schedule an appointment through the Lake County Health Department. Limited appointments will be available at our Grand Avenue Health Center and Midlakes Health Center. 
  • Visit Vaccines.gov to find a provider near you that may have pediatric vaccines available.  

Read the full statements from the FDA and CDC for more information about the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children ages 5-11.  

Vaccine info & safety

 

American Academy of Pediatrics

COVID-19 vaccine for ages 12–15

 

Centers for Disease Control

The following information is available in multiple languages

Get the facts

Key things to know

Benefits of getting the vaccine

Answers to frequently asked questions

What older adults need to know about COVID-19 vaccines

COVID-19 vaccines and rare severe allergic reactions

COVID-19 vaccines for children and teens

 

Illinois Department of Public Health

Answers to frequently asked questions

available in Chinese, Hindi, Arabic, Tagalog, and Spanish

 

Lake County Health Department

Get information and answers to your questions (no scheduling).

EMAIL AllVax@lakecountyil.gov

-or-

CALL 847-377-8130

Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

 

Transportation to your appointment

Call 211 to find out about other transportation options in your area. 

 

Vaccinations for higher BMI people

Chicagoland has some of the best healthcare practitioners around, but it always helps to be an informed care recipient: If you have a higher BMI than average, find out why you might want to ask your provider about the size of the needle in the vaccine you get.

 

Vaccinations for the homebound

If you or a household member are physically unable to leave home to be vaccinated, please contact the Lake County Health Department support team at 847-377-8130 for help.

 

At your vaccination

You will

  • be required to wear a mask at all times
  • be monitored for 15 minutes after you receive the vaccination.
  • receive a vaccination card stating which COVID-19 vaccine you got, when and where you were vaccinated. Do not share your vaccination card on social media.
  • receive a fact sheet (paper or electronic) that tells you more about the COVID-19 vaccine you got. 

 

After you're vaccinated

  • Follow any instructions you were given at your appointment.
  • If you receive the 2-dose vaccine, make sure you get both doses; your provider will give you scheduling information.
  • It takes 2 weeks for your body to build immunity to COVID-19 after you receive the 1-dose vaccine or the second of a 2-dose vaccine.
  • What to expect after getting a COVID-19 vaccine, from the CDC.
  • COVID-19 vaccines and rare severe allergic reactions, from the CDC.
  • Use V-safe: this smartphone-based tool from the CDC uses text messaging and brief surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after you receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

Guidelines for fully vaccinated people

  • Everyone ages 2 & up is required to wear a face mask in indoor public spaces throughout Illinois. 
  • Expect to wear a mask wherever else required by laws, rules, regulations, or local guidance, including on public transportation and terminals. Carry a mask with you and pay attention to posted requirements wherever you visit.

Vax Verify program

The Illinois Department of Public Health has a Vax Verify program that lets residents age 18 and older check and download their COVID-19 immunization records from the state registry. To enroll and for information,

VISIT idphportal.illinois.gov

 

 

Vaccine data

View vaccination numbers/percentages for:

Lake County

Illinois

United States

the globe