City of Glenarden, MD

COVID-19 Vaccination Information

Vaccines are widely accessible in the United States and are available for everyone at no cost. Everyone aged 12 years and older should get a COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible. COVID-19 vaccines are effective at keeping you from getting COVID-19, especially severe illness and death. COVID-19 vaccines reduce the risk of people spreading the virus that causes COVID-19.

vaccinelocator

For vaccine alerts, current updates, or to select an available clinic, date, and time for your first-dose appointment CLICK HERE. For the Prince George's County Vaccine Locator CLICK HERE. You can also find a vaccine clinic near you at covidvax.maryland.gov or by calling 1-855-MD-GOVAX.

COVID-19 Booster Shots & Third Doses

Based on CDC guidance, the County is offering booster shots of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to residents who are 65 and older, residents ages 18-64 with underlying medical conditions, and individuals ages 18-64 who work or reside in certain settings that increase their risk of COVID-19 exposure (e.g. health care, schools, grocery workers, correctional facilities, homeless shelters).

The CDC recommends that these groups receive a booster shot at least six months after receiving their second dose of Pfizer. Individuals do not have to show proof of eligibility to receive a booster shot at clinics operated by the County Health Department. Federal officials have not yet approved booster shots for those who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

The County is also offering third doses of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to residents who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, based on guidance from the CDC. For people with weakened immune systems, a third dose is recommended 28 days after the second dose. Federal officials have not yet approved an additional dose for immunocompromised individuals that received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. Residents can find the nearest vaccine clinic at mypgc.us/COVIDVaccine.


DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL VACCINE DOSE?

Effective August 13, 2021, CDC recommends that people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised receive an additional dose of an mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) at least 28 days after the completion of the initial mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series. Available data show that these people don’t always build adequate levels of protection after an initial 2-dose primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series. The data also show that they may benefit from receiving an additional dose of an mRNA vaccine to develop as much protection as possible against COVID-19.

Currently, CDC is recommending that moderately to severely immunocompromised people receive an additional dose. This includes people who have:

  • Active treatment for solid tumor and hematologic malignancies
  • Receipt of solid-organ transplant and taking immunosuppressive therapy
  • Receipt of CAR-T-cell or hematopoietic stem cell transplant (within 2 years of transplantation or taking immunosuppression therapy)
  • Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (e.g., DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
  • Advanced or untreated HIV infection
  • Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids (i.e., ≥20mg prednisone or equivalent per day), alkylating agents, antimetabolites, transplant-related immunosuppressive drugs, cancer chemotherapeutic agents classified as severely immunosuppressive, tumor-necrosis (TNF) blockers, and other biologic agents that are immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory.
Anyone qualifying for a third dose should already be under the care of a physician. Talk with your doctor to decide if a 3rd dose is appropriate for you.

 

How long after getting my initial COVID-19 vaccines can I get an additional dose?

CDC recommends the additional dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine be administered at least four weeks after a second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

Can you mix and match the vaccines?

For people who received either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine series, a third dose of the same mRNA vaccine should be used. A person should not receive more than three mRNA vaccine doses. If the mRNA vaccine product given for the first two doses is not available or is unknown, either mRNA COVID-19 vaccine product may be administered.

What should immunocompromised people who received the J&J/Janssen vaccine do?

The FDA’s recent EUA amendment only applies to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, as does CDC’s recommendation.

Emerging data have demonstrated that immunocompromised people who have low or no protection following two doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines may have an improved response after an additional dose of the same vaccine. There is not enough data at this time to determine whether immunocompromised people who received the Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine also have an improved antibody response following an additional dose of the same vaccine.

What are the benefits of people receiving an additional vaccine dose?

CDC recommends the additional dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine be administered at least four weeks (28 days) after a second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

What are the risks of vaccinating individuals with an additional dose?

There is limited information about the risks of receiving an additional dose of vaccine, and the safety, efficacy, and benefit of additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine in immunocompromised people continues to be evaluated. So far, reactions reported after the third mRNA dose were similar to that of the two-dose series: fatigue and pain at injection site were the most commonly reported side effects, and overall, most symptoms were mild to moderate.

However, as with the two-dose series, serious side effects are rare, but may occur.

ASSISTANCE FOR SENIORS MAKING VACCINATION APPOINTMENTS 

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) and the Maryland Department of Aging (MDOA) are working together to promote access to vaccines through a telephone-based support line and appointment system that is designed to assist those without internet access. Seniors are encouraged to call the COVID-19 Vaccination Support Center at 1-855-MDGOVAX (1-855-634-6829).

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER GETTING A COVID-19 VACCINE

COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you from getting COVID-19. You may have some side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building protection. These side effects may affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days. If you have pain or discomfort, talk to your doctor about taking an over-the-counter medicine, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Common side effects include pain and swelling in the arm where you receive the shot. 
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

  • COVID-19 vaccines are effective at helping protect against severe disease and death from variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 currently circulating, including the Delta variant.
  • If you are fully vaccinated you can resume many activities that you did before the pandemic, but you should wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission to maximize protection from the Delta variant and possibly spreading it to others.
  • You may have side effects after vaccination. These are normal and should go away in a few days.
  • Learn how to find a COVID-19 vaccine so you can get it as soon as you can.

WHAT WE'RE STILL LEARNING

  • How well the vaccines protect people with weakened immune systems, including people who take medicines that suppress the immune system
  • How long COVID-19 vaccines protect people
  • How many people have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before the population can be considered protected (population immunity)
  • How effective the vaccines are against new variants of the virus that causes COVID-19

Want to learn more about these recommendations? Read the CDC's expanded Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People.

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER GETTING A COVID-19 VACCINE

COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you from getting COVID-19. You may have some side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building protection. These side effects may affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days. If you have pain or discomfort, talk to your doctor about taking an over-the-counter medicine, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Common side effects include pain and swelling in the arm where you receive the shot. 
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WHAT TO DO AFTER YOU ARE FULLY VACCINATED
from the CDC 

How to Protect Yourself and Others

COVID-19 vaccines are effective at protecting you from getting sick. Based on what we know about COVID-19 vaccines, people who have been fully vaccinated can start to do some things that they had stopped doing because of the pandemic.

We’re still learning how vaccines will affect the spread of COVID-19. After you’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, you should keep taking precautions in public places like wearing a mask, staying 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces until we know more. 
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  • You will still need to follow guidance at your workplace and local businesses.
  • If you travel, you should still take steps to protect yourself and others.
  • Wearing a mask over your nose and mouth is required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and while indoors at U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations. Travelers are not required to wear a mask in outdoor areas of a conveyance (like on open deck areas of a ferry or the uncovered top deck of a bus).
  • Fully vaccinated international travelers arriving in the United States are still required to get tested 3 days before travel by air into the United States (or show documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months) and should still get tested 3-5 days after their trip.
  • You should still watch out for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if you’ve been around someone who is sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested and stay home and away from others. If your test is positive, isolate at home for 10 days.
  • People who have a condition or are taking medications that weaken the immune system, should continue to take all precautions recommended for unvaccinated people until advised otherwise by their healthcare provider.