This is Our
Shot!
To end COVID-19
To re-open our schools
To save our elders & culture bearers
In Bethel and villages, all individuals aged 16 and older are now eligible for vaccination.
To request a vaccination appointment, please submit a vaccine application online. If you have difficulty with the button below, copy and paste the following address into your web browser: https://tinyurl.com/y7reeyst.
Completion of this form does not automatically schedule an appointment, but it will register you as interested in a vaccine. It is possible that an appointment may not be scheduled right away, but you will be scheduled when vaccine doses are available.
After you submit the form, you will receive a call back within 3 days to schedule an appointment or to let you know you are on the list for when vaccination teams will visit your village. A date will be provided at that time, if possible.
- If you need assistance signing up or do not have access to the internet, call 1-800-478-6599 to receive help.
Why you should get the vaccine
Our communities need as many people vaccinated as possible. Each person vaccinated is one step closer to our normal way of life. It’s ok to have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine! YKHC is here to help.
- It is safe for you to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
- The vaccine is 95% effective at preventing severe illness or death from COVID-19.
- The vaccine will help slow the spread of COVID-19 in our region.
- Most people do not experience side effects, and if they do, side effects are almost always mild and disappear within 48 hours.
- There have been very few allergic reactions (or adverse effects) and no deaths from the vaccine.
- The vaccine was developed thoroughly and safely, and was promptly approved to help get it out to people quickly.
- If you have had COVID-19 already, you are not immune from getting it again in the future. Only the vaccine can prevent severe illness or death from COVID-19.
Find the answers to frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccine here.
Vaccination FAQs
What are the side effects of the vaccine?
The most common side effects people reported are soreness at the injection site, fever, fatigue and muscle aches. These typically resolve after about 48 hours, are signs your body is learning to fight COVID-19, and can be treated with ibuprofen or Tylenol.
What are the risks of a serious allergic reaction to the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine?
The risk of a serious allergic reaction is very low, but YKHC
health providers will monitor individuals for 20 minutes following vaccination, to ensure timely care is provided under the extremely rare circumstance of an allergic reaction.
What is the effectiveness of the vaccine?
Early research suggests both COVID-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna, currently being used in the YK Delta, are over 94% effective in preventing COVID-19 infection.
Will I still have to wear a mask when I am fully
vaccinated?
Yes. Masks and avoiding close contact with others are simple and effective tools to prevent the spread of this highly contagious virus. Experts need more information about the protection ofthe vaccines, many more people need to be vaccinated, and understanding how the virus spreads in communities amidst these conditions would be needed in order to reconsider recommendations about masks.
Will I have to quarantine after I am fully vaccinated?
Yes, you will still have to comply with all state and local guidelines for quarantine. At this time the CDC and State of Alaska are not planning on changing quarantine requirements.
Can people still spread COVID-19 after they have been vaccinated?
We are not sure whether you can still spread COVID-19 after vaccination, so it is important to comply with all of the public health measures that we know work to decrease the spread ofCOVID-19: wear a mask, remain physically distant from anyone who does not reside in your household, and wash your hands frequently.
Can I get COVID-19 from the vaccine?
No, because there are no viral parts in the vaccine. mRNA vaccines do not use the live virus that causes COVID-19. The vaccine only contains instructions on how to recognize the virus and attack it.
Have there been many studies done on these
vaccines?
Yes. The FDA requires rigorous testing and safety information for each vaccine. These were tested on tens of thousands of people.
How was the vaccine created and distributed so quickly (in less than one year)?
Scientists have been studying mRNA vaccine development, the same technology used for the COVID-19 vaccines, for over a decade – following other similar respiratory viral outbreaks. Additionally, the federal government invested resources that allowed the scientific community to proceed with traditional vaccine research and development steps happening at the same time, while ensuring no safety steps were eliminated. For example, pharmaceutical companies began manufacturing vaccines at industrial scale, while work to demonstrate efficacy and safety continued. This removed financial risk to the medical community without sacrificing vaccine safety.
Resource:
https://www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/explaining-operation-warp-speed/index.html
Is it safe to get the vaccine?
Yes. The companies making the leading vaccines have taken the unusual step of releasing their study for public review to ensure transparency. For both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, thousands of participants have passed the two-month window and neither vaccine has prompted serious or concerning adverse effects.
When will I get the vaccine?
In Bethel and villages, all individuals aged 16 and older are now eligible for vaccination.
As YKHC awaits additional information from state and federal partners about our region’s upcoming vaccine allocation, we are preparing for expanded COVID-19 vaccinations in the region by identifying individuals who would like to be vaccinated when they become eligible and vaccine is available. To request a vaccination appointment, please submit a vaccine application online. If you have difficulty with the button below, copy and paste the following address into your web browser: https://tinyurl.com/y7reeyst.
Should I get the vaccine if I am pregnant or breastfeeding?
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have recommended that pregnant and breastfeeding mothers be given the vaccine if desired. There have been no reported adverse effects in pregnancies in women after they received the vaccine.
Where can I learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine?
YKHC recommends using trusted sources of information to gather more information on the COVID-19 vaccine, including the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and State of Alaska.
Resource:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html
Resource:
http://dhss.alaska.gov/dph/epi/id/pages/COVID-19/vaccine.aspx
Vaccine News
YKHC expands eligibility for COVID-19 vaccinations, recommends extended regionwide lockdown
YKHC expands eligibility for COVID-19 vaccinationsEffective Tuesday, January 19, YKHC is again expanding who is eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in the YK Delta. In Bethel
YKHC preparing for and expanding COVID-19 vaccinations in YK Delta
Effective Monday, January 11, YKHC is again able to expand who is eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in the YK Delta. In Bethel, all persons age
Update on COVID-19 Vaccination in the YK Delta
In mid-December, YKHC received just over 4,000 initial and individual doses of both Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. These vaccine doses came from two different
COVID-19 Vaccine Information Update 12/15/20
12/15 Vaccine Info Session A recording of the COVID-19 Vaccine Information Session with YKHC Chief of Staff Dr. Ellen Hodges. Recorded 12/15/20. https://ykhc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/121520-covid19-vaccine-info-session.mp4