COVID-19 Resources

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The information on this page is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See a licensed medical professional with your specific questions and concerns. The following is provided for informational and educational purposes.

This page last updated: 19 July 2022

All adult groups are now eligible to receive the vaccine! Learn about the vaccines here.
NEW: People aged 6 months and up can get the two-dose Pfizer vaccine. Safety info here.  

 Image: Front page of the COVID-19 Vaccine Interactive toolConfused? Concerned? Understandable!
Click to use our interactive tool and learn about COVID-19, variants, and vaccines from reliable, factual sources. 
What are the real benefits and risks of vaccination? FAQs, short videos, explanations, all in one spot!  Last updated 11 MAY 2022
COVID-19 Vaccines

There are four vaccines being distributed in the US. The Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines each have their own two-shot schedule, with booster shots afterward at set intervals.  Talk with your doctor about which is right for you. 
The Pfizer vaccine is the only vaccine currently approved for use in those aged 6 months to 6 years; both Moderna and Pfizer are approved for persons aged 6 years and up. 

The third vaccine is the single-dose Janssen vaccine (Johnson & Johnson). It has an increased risk of adverse health events, but getting one dose of a Janssen vaccine is still considered better than remaining unvaccinated for most people. CDC suggests boosting one dose of Janssen with a Pfizer or Moderna dose. It is approved for those 18 and up. Discuss any concerns with a licensed medical professional. 

NEW The fourth vaccine is the Novavax vaccine. It received an EUA on July 13, 2022. This 2-dose vaccine is given three weeks apart. It is not an mRNA vaccine, but instead is a protein-based vaccine, similar to vaccines for flu, singles, anthrax, diptheria, tetanus, measles, and different kinds of hepatitis. It is recommended for persons who have not had any COVID-19 vaccines at all. Read the EUA and safety info here. 

Fact sheets: Side Effects After a Vaccine (Adults)   Side Effects After a Vaccine (Kids & Teens) 

Booster shots are strongly recommended if: it has been 6 months since your second Pfizer or Moderna shot, or if it has been over 2 months since a J&J shot. Additional booster shots may be recommended later. Booster shots help refresh your immune response to protect you against some of the newer variants of concern. Learn more in our interactive tool, linked above. 

Where can I get the vaccine?

Click here to find vaccine providers across the USA. You can now filter results by which vaccine you’d like to receive.

You can also text your 5-digit ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find vaccination sites nearby. 

In York County, PA, you can visit the York County COVID-19 Vaccine Website. This map includes where walk-in appointments are available around the county.   Back to top

I don’t drive. How do I get to my vaccine?

Help is available! Contact RabbitTransit at: 1-800-632-9063. Set your vaccine appointment first. Then call no later than noon the day before your appointment to schedule a ride share to and from your appointment location. Masks are required during the ride.

Uber is donating rides to and from vaccine appointments. Find availability here: Committed to helping (uber.com)
Lyft is also providing free or low-cost rides to and from vaccine appointments. Find availability here: Lyft | Vaccine Access

I can’t leave my home. How can I get a vaccine?

If you have difficulties preventing you from leaving your home, you may be able to get an in-home vaccination. Contact these services to see if they offer in-home COVID-19 vaccinations:

  • Your doctor or health care provider
  • Hotline for Medicare recipients at 1-800-633-4227 (TTY 1-877-486-2048)
  • The PA Department of Health Vaccine Homebound (pa.gov) service. Call the PACE Call Center at 1-800-225-7223 or the PA LINK at 1-800-753-8827 
  • Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) 1-888-677-1199
  • Services for older adults and their families Eldercare Locator  or 1-800-677-1116  

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What does the vaccine cost? 

There is no cost for the vaccine, and insurance is not required to receive the vaccine.

What do I do with my vaccination card? 

Keep it somewhere safe! This is your record that you have been vaccinated. If you get a booster shot (recommended if your 2nd shot was 6 months ago or longer), they’ll update this card.

Providers

Vaccine Providers in our region as of  19 July 2022
Many of these locations also provide COVID-19 testing on-site.

PA Dept of Health COVID-19 website: COVID-19 Vaccine (pa.gov)

WellSpan Health
Visit my.wellspan.org  or call (855) 851-3641
*Vaccines offered for ages 6 months and up at WellSpan Health

Geisinger Health
Visit https://www.geisinger.org/coronavirus/patients-and-visitors/covid-19-vaccine-faqs
*Vaccines offered for ages 6 months and up at Geisinger Health
Giant Food Stores Pharmacy
Visit https://giantfoodstores.com/pages/tgc-vaccines  for appointment availability      *most stores are located in south central PA
*Vaccines offered for ages 3 and up at Giant Food locations

Rite Aid Pharmacy
Visit the Rite-Aid COVID-19 Vaccine Scheduler. Find more info at https://www.riteaid.com/Covid-19
*Vaccines offered for ages 3 and up at Rite Aid locations
CVS Pharmacy
Set appointments in the CVS app or on siteL https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine
Target stores may have a CVS pharmacy inside.
*Vaccines offered for ages 18 months and up at CVS locations
 Weis Markets Pharmacy (limited locations)
Availability on the Weis Markets website: Pharmacy Services | Weis Markets
*Vaccines offered for ages 5 and up at Weis locations

East Berlin Pharmacy
335 W King St, East Berlin, PA 17316(717) 259-0421  
Visit the East Berlin Pharmacy Website for appointment information. *Vaccines offered for ages 5 and up
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COVID-19 Testing

Should You Get Tested?

If you have COVID-19 symptoms you may choose to get a test. See our explainer tool to learn about current symptoms.
If a doctor orders a COVID-19 test. 
If you learn you are a “Close Contact” of someone with COVID-19, you should get tested.
A close contact is someone who: 
      • has been within 6 feet of someone who was infected with COVID-19, and
      • they were within 6 feet of them for 15 minutes or more in total over a single 24-hour period

If you are going to come into contact with a vulnerable individual, such as someone who is immunocompromised or who is undergoing medical treatments, you may choose to self-test. 

Learn More

Want to learn more about how the COVID-19 vaccine was developed? What are the known safety and risk information? Other FAQs? 
Click here to go to our COVID-19 Vaccine: Learn Page
 
On-Site Testing
What to expect when getting a COVID-19 test:
Bring your ID. If you do not have identification, contact the testing site to learn what to do.
There may be a cost or copay. Generally, these are low. Check with your insurance for coverage. 
It may be uncomfortable. In order to get as accurate results as possible, your healthcare provider may need to swab deep inside your nose, throat, or both. 
You may need an appointment or a doctor’s referral to get a test at some sites. If you use the PA Department of Health testing site provider, look for “general public” to determine which locations might accept walk-in test requests. Otherwise, call your healthcare provider to ask about their policies.

Where to Get At-Home Tests

By Mail: The federal government has purchased rapid tests for distribution to American households. Requests start January 19, 2022 on COVIDTests.gov. You can request mail delivery of up to four at-home tests. Update: If you need a second or third set of tests delivered to you, the federal government replenished the supply as of May 2022. There is no requirement for payment of any kind. Shipping starts 7 to 12 days after a request is fulfilled on the website.

At a Pharmacy: All insurance providers are now required to cover the costs of at-home COVID-19 tests. This may be in the form of direct coverage (you pay nothing when you pick them up), or it may be in the form of reimbursement (you send in receipts and costs are paid back in the form of a check). Availability varies. Individual stores may restrict the number of tests a person may purchase at one time.  Your provider will have a limit on how many tests are eligible for reimbursement at one time.

Types of COVID-19 tests

Many local healthcare providers are able to provide a COVID-19 test to determine if you currently have COVID-19. There are two types:
  • an antigen test gives you results in under an hour. They are most accurate if testing takes place within the first 3-4 days of symptoms or known exposure. Over-the-counter “rapid” tests are antigen tests. These tell you if you have COVID-19 right now.  
  • a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test gets sent out to a laboratory. Results will come in 2 to 14 days (depending on how busy the lab is); these are over 90% accurate and are considered the “gold standard” for disease detection. They can tell you if you have had COVID-19 infection recently but cannot tell you if you are actively spreading the disease right now. 
An antibody test (or serology test) is a blood test that tells you if you have been exposed to COVID-19, but it cannot tell if you currently have active COVID-19 disease.  Serology tests also test how strong a person’s immune response is after being vaccinated. Back to top
 

Printables:

COVID-19 Testing and Vaccine Resources, January 2022 (one double sided sheet) Contains info on testing and resources to help overcome barriers to vaccination such as lack of transport. Still up to date in July 2022.

What To Expect At Your Vaccine Appointment (one double sided sheet)

What To Expect After the COVID-19 Vaccine Printable Sheet (one sheet)

Healthline: Understanding Opposition to Vaccine (3 single sided pages)

Sources

Click the above link to view our updated, linked list of the resources used to create both this COVID-19 Vaccine: Learn tool and also the COVID-19 Resources webpage. Back to top