COVID-19 vaccines with HealthPartners & Park Nicollet

The Pfizer vaccine is available for people 6 months old and older. Most people should get one dose of the updated vaccine. Small children and those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may need additional doses.

For people who haven’t received a COVID-19 vaccine:

• Children between 6 months and 4 years old should get three doses of the 2024-2025 Pfizer vaccine. The second dose is given three to eight weeks after the first, and the third dose is given eight weeks after the second.
• People 5 years old or older should get one dose. However, if you’re immunocompromised you may need more.
• If you’re moderately or severely immunocompromised, you should get two or three doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. The second dose is given three weeks after the first, and the third dose is given four or eight weeks after the second. You may be able to get additional doses or mix and match vaccines if your doctor thinks that makes sense for you.

For people who received a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in the past:

• You can get an updated vaccine once it’s been eight weeks since your previous dose.
• Children between 6 months and 4 years old who are not immunocompromised will need one or two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, depending on how many doses they’ve had previously.
• People 5 years old or older should get one dose of the 2024-2025 vaccine. However, you may need more if you’re immunocompromised.
• If you’re moderately or severely immunocompromised, the number of the 2024-2025 vaccines you need depends on how many doses you’ve received previously. Generally, you’ll need one or two doses of the Pfizer vaccine. You may be able to get additional doses or mix and match vaccines if your doctor thinks that makes sense for you.

The Moderna vaccine is available for people 6 months old and older. Most people should get one dose. Small children and people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may need additional doses.

For people who’ve never received a COVID-19 vaccine:

• Children ages 6 months through 4 years old should get two doses.
• People 5 years old or older should get one dose. However, you may need more if you’re immunocompromised.
• If you’re moderately or severely immunocompromised, you should get two or three doses of the Moderna vaccine. You may be able to get additional doses if your doctor or clinician thinks they would be right for you.

For people who received a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in the past:

• You can get an updated vaccine once it’s been eight weeks since your previous dose.
• If you’re over 6 months old – and not immunocompromised – you should get one dose of the updated 2024-2025 vaccine. Children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years old should get the Moderna vaccine. Others can mix and match vaccines.
• If you’re moderately or severely immunocompromised, you’ll need one or two doses of the updated Moderna vaccine, depending on your age and how many doses you had previously. You may be able to get additional doses or mix and match vaccines if your doctor thinks that makes sense for you.

The Novavax vaccine is available for people 12 years old and older.

For people who haven’t received a COVID-19 vaccine:

• You should get two doses given 21 days apart.

For people who received a Novavax or other COVID-19 vaccine in the past:

• If you’ve received one or more doses of the Novavax vaccine, you should get one more dose at least three weeks after your previous dose.
• If you were vaccinated with a vaccine from another manufacturer, you can get one dose of the updated Novavax at least two months after your most recent vaccine.

Your insurance will likely cover 100% of the cost of the COVID-19 vaccine. Please check with your insurance company by calling the member services number located on your ID card.

If you’re uninsured or underinsured, check with your local or state public health department to see if free or low-cost vaccines are available near you.

You may be offered a COVID-19 vaccine during a regular in-person appointment at one of our clinics. If we can vaccinate you at that time, we’ll let you know and walk you through the process.

If you’d like to make an appointment just for a COVID-19 vaccine, you can get vaccinated at one of our convenient locations in Minnesota or western Wisconsin. Different locations have different vaccines – you’ll be able to choose where you want to be vaccinated. Availability of vaccines may change from time to time.

Yes. You can get the updated COVID-19 vaccine at a HealthPartners location, regardless of where you received your previous dose(s).

You’ll be able to see your updated vaccination record in your online HealthPartners account or in the HealthPartners mobile app.

For vaccinations (except at Veterans Health Administration) in Minnesota or Wisconsin, your medical record will be automatically updated during your next appointment with us. There’s nothing else you need to do. If you received vaccinations at Veterans Health Administration or in other states, let us know during your appointment and we can update your medical record.

The CDC recommends all people who are pregnant or breastfeeding get vaccinated against COVID-19. This recommendation is based on an analysis of nearly 2,500 pregnant people who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine series before 20 weeks of pregnancy. In particular, the rate of miscarriages among pregnant women who received a COVID-19 vaccine was similar to the expected rate of miscarriage among all women. This suggests there isn’t any evidence for an increased risk of miscarriage due to vaccination.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, as well as the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, also recommend pregnant or nursing mothers get vaccinated against COVID-19. To help you make an informed decision, discuss COVID-19 vaccination with your doctor or midwife.

Yes. While you will have some natural immunity following a COVID-19 infection, it lessens over time. The best way to protect yourself from the variants of the coronavirus that are currently causing the most sickness is to get an updated COVID-19 vaccine each year.

Research shows that people who got the vaccine after they’ve recovered from COVID-19 are less likely to get COVID-19 again than those who did not get vaccinated.

You can’t get the COVID-19 vaccine if you currently have COVID-19, but you should still get an updated vaccine in the future. The CDC says that it’s okay to delay the vaccine until it’s been three months since you’ve recovered from the coronavirus.

Yes. There’s no waiting period between receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and receiving other vaccines – you can receive your vaccines on any schedule, or at the same time.

It’s especially important for kids and teens to keep up with their doctor-recommended vaccination schedule while also getting protected against COVID-19.

Yes. The data suggest all currently approved or authorized vaccines are effective in preventing illness from COVID-19, with the greatest protection coming against severe illness, hospitalization and death. For maximum protection, it’s important to get an updated vaccine each year.

All vaccines are effective, and all vaccines are considered clinically equivalent in preventing hospitalization and death due to severe COVID-19.

Given the excellent performance and effectiveness of all vaccines in this important measurement, we strongly encourage you to receive any approved or authorized vaccine that’s offered.

Very few vaccines are 100% effective, and the COVID-19 vaccines are no exception. Therefore, it’s still possible for a person to get COVID-19 even after being vaccinated. The vaccines themselves do not cause COVID-19.

If you do get COVID-19 after you’re vaccinated, your illness will very likely be less severe than if you hadn’t been vaccinated.

All vaccine manufacturers must meet strict safety standards. These standards were established before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the COVID-19 vaccines went through the same rigorous clinical trials that other vaccines go through.

For the first 72 hours after vaccination, you may experience side effects. Symptoms are typically temporary, mild to moderate and can be managed at home with over-the-counter remedies.

No. COVID-19 and the flu are caused by two different viruses. To be protected from both, you need two different vaccinations. You can get both vaccinations at the same time.