COVID-19 Vaccination

NCPHD has the Moderna COVID-19 updated (2023-2024 Formula) vaccine for those 6 months and older. To book an appointment, call 541-506-2600. For other vaccine options, click here.

COVID-19 vaccines are the best tool for protecting against getting COVID. They have been found to be safe and effective against severe disease, hospitalization and death.

To see which vaccines are best for you, click here for the updated (2023-2024 Formula) COVID-19 vaccine schedules from the CDC.

The monovalent or updated booster vaccine, available from Moderna & Pfizer BioNTech since September 2023, is designed to protect against XBB.1.5 (a subvariant of Omicron) and variants descended from, or related to, the XBB strain. These include EG.5, the dominant strain in the US, and BA.2.86, a new subvariant sparking concern because it has more than 30 mutations to its spike protein.

The updated (2023-2024 Formula) COVID-19 vaccine from Moderna or Pfizer BioNTech is available for everyone 6 months and older, as long as it has been at least two months after their last COVID-19 shot.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approved the updated vaccines by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna in mid-September. In early October, they also authorized an updated Novavax vaccine for use in individuals 12 and older. NCPHD is only offering the updated Moderna monovalent vaccine at this time.

Information about vaccine safety and effectiveness.

Vaccines are one of the most important and effective ways you can protect yourself, your family, your neighbors and your community. Vaccines prevent disease, keep our communities safe, and help keep down health care costs.

There are two types of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19: mRNA and protein subunit vaccine. None of these vaccines can give you COVID-19. They do not use any live virus, and they do not affect or interact with our DNA. They do not enter the nucleus of our cell where our DNA is located, so it cannot change or influence our genes.

Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines are known as mRNA vaccines. mRNA vaccines do not contain SARS-CoV-2. Instead, they act as a blueprint which allows your immune system to recognize SARS-CoV-2. Then, if a vaccinated person is exposed to the virus, there is a very high chance that the virus will be identified and destroyed before taking hold. For more detailed information on the mRNA vaccines, see here.

Novavax is a protein subunit vaccine, which is a traditional type of vaccine, such as the DTaP, shingles or HPV vaccine. Protein subunit vaccines contain pieces (proteins) of the virus that causes COVID-19. These virus pieces are the spike protein, which are the little spikes poking out of the pictures you see of the virus. The vaccine also contains another ingredient called an adjuvant that helps the immune system respond to that spike protein in the future.

There was a third type from Johnson & Johnson which was a viral vector vaccine. However it is no longer available in the US.

Should I get vaccinated if I already had COVID-19?

Yes. The natural immunity caused by infection is short-lived and reinfection is possible. Getting the vaccine will further support your immune system and reduce the likelihood of reinfection. In fact, getting the vaccine after recovering from COVID-19 can lead to “hybrid immunity”, which is a stronger immune response than the vaccine or infection alone.

Safety Profile

All COVID-19 vaccines underwent rigorous testing to determine if they were safe for people to take and effective at preventing COVID-19 disease. There is universal consensus among the FDA, CDC, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Physicians, American Pharmacists Association, American Nurses Association, and many more organizations who agree that COVID-19 vaccines are extremely safe and effective.

Serious safety problems are rare and usually occur soon after receiving the vaccine. Given that over 13.52 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered worldwide with only a handful of negative reactions, it is a very good sign that the vaccine is safe.

Was the vaccine rushed?

It is a common misconception that the vaccine was rushed so we don’t know if it’s safe. The development of the COVID-19 vaccines were sped up as the result of several factors:

• mRNA technology has existed for over 10 years and coronaviruses have been studied for over 50 years, so companies already had a strong platform to begin development of the vaccine based on existing knowledge

• Vaccine developers did not skip any steps, they were just conducted simultaneously when possible to retain safety protocols while being time efficient

  • Manufacturing facilities were built before trials were completed so that vaccine could go into production quickly

• Volunteers for vaccine testing were plentiful, so human trials were able to begin early on in the pandemic

• Acquiring funding is normally a speed bump for vaccine production, but the COVID-19 vaccine was heavily funded by the federal government

All in all, based on our existing knowledge of vaccines and coronaviruses, vaccine developers were able to prioritize getting the vaccine out quickly without sacrificing safety.

For more information on the safety profile of the COVID-19 vaccine, see here.

Side Effects

The vast majority of individuals will either experience mild or no side effects after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. If side effects occur, it is usually a sign that your body is starting to build immunity (protection) against the disease. Even if you don’t experience any side effects, the vaccine is still working.
They include:

Pain, swelling, or redness where the shot was given.
Mild fever.
Chills.
Feeling tired.
Headache.
Muscle and joint aches.
Fainting, although uncommon, but which can happen after any medical procedure, including vaccinations.

Vaccine Finder

These locations offer COVID-19 vaccines in Wasco & Sherman Counties

North Central Public Health
419 E 7th Street The Dalles, Oregon 97058
1-541-506-2600

One Community Health
1040 Webber Street The Dalles, Oregon 97058
1-541-296-4610

MCMC Family Medicine
1620 E 12th St, The Dalles, OR 97058
1-541-296-1111

MCMC Internal Medicine
551 NE Lone Pine Blvd The Dalles, OR 97058
1-541-506-6920