Getting vaccinated in King County

You will need to bring:

• Identification with date of birth: state, tribe, or federal-issued ID. A billing or bank statement with your name and address can also be used.
  
  
• Wear short sleeves or loose-fitting sleeves that are easy to roll up so that you can get vaccinated in your upper arm.
  
  
• Authorized adult consent: If you are younger than 18 years old, you may need consent from an authorized adult to get the vaccine. You can consent for yourself if you are emancipated, married to an adult, or the vaccine site determines you are a mature minor. Not all vaccine sites are able to make mature minor determinations. More information for children and teens, including authorized adult definitions, is included below. If an authorized adult will not attend the vaccine appointment with you, check with your vaccine provider about requirements for showing proof of authorized adult consent or legal emancipation.

How to get there:

If you live in King County and need transportation to your vaccine appointment, there are multiple options:

• Find a Ride: For transportation options, volunteer programs, and to plan your trip, visit www.findaride.org. For eligibility questions and more information, visit www.findaride.org/covid.
  
  
• Bus Services: King County Metro offers many transportation options to vaccination appointments, including bus transit, Access paratransit, and Community Van shuttles. Learn more about transit options from King County Metro here or call 206-553-3000.
  Note: drive-through vaccine sites cannot take walk-up clients and require a car or vehicle, so transit will not be a good option for these locations. Check access details with the vaccine provider before your appointment.
  
  
• Have Medicaid or Apple Health Card?: Call Hopelink Medicaid at 800-923-7433. (Check eligibility)
  
  
• Are you an older adult or have a disability?: Call Metro Access at 206-205-5000. (Check eligibility)
  
  
• Are you trying to schedule transportation for multiple people? Fill out this form and a member of the Hopelink Mobility Management team will follow-up with you.
  
  

If you need assistance by phone or interpretation, call the Coordinated Vaccine Transportation Helpline at 425-943-6706 Monday-Friday between 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. and press 5 for language assistance.

Flyer: Public Health recommendations: after COVID-19 vaccination (PDF)

Schedule a second dose

If you are receiving a 2-dose vaccine, make an appointment for the second dose of the vaccine at your vaccination appointment after you receive your first dose. You should get your second dose 21 days (Pfizer-BioNTech) or 28 days (Moderna) after the first dose. The second dose will provide full protection from the virus.

You do not need a second dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine – one dose offers full protection.

Sign up for V-safe

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has created a tool, V-safe, to monitor vaccine safety. V-safe is a smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after you get a COVID-19 vaccine. You can can quickly tell CDC if you have any side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. CDC may follow up with you to get more information. V-safe will also remind you to get your second COVID-19 vaccine dose, if needed.

What to do about side effects

If you experience a severe allergic reaction, call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest hospital. Call your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.

Report vaccine side effects to FDA/CDC Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). Call the VAERS number at 1-800-822-7967 or report online at https://vaers.hhs.gov/reportevent.html. Include the name of the vaccine you received in the first line of box #18 in the report form.

Continue COVID-19 precautions

The vaccines give a high level of protection against infection, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. So why do we still need to wear masks and distance from others?

Right now, most people are not vaccinated yet – we’re in very early stages of vaccine distribution with limited supply. We’re also learning how well the vaccine works in preventing people who are vaccinated from spreading COVID-19 to others and how well it works on coronavirus variants, which are known to be circulating in King County.

Even after vaccination, it’s important to protect others. Continue to wear masks, limit indoor activities outside of the home, avoid crowded indoor spaces, keep contact with others brief and distanced, improve ventilation indoors, and wash your hands frequently.

The good news is that once you’re fully vaccinated, you can start doing some things again that stopped because of the pandemic.

People are considered fully vaccinated:

• 2 weeks after the second dose in a 2-dose series, like the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines OR
• 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, like Johnson & Johnson's vaccine

If it has been less than 2 weeks since your shot, or if you still need to get your second dose, you are NOT fully protected. Keep taking all prevention steps until you are fully vaccinated.
If you've been fully vaccinated, you can:

• Gather indoors with other fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask
• Gather indoors without masks with unvaccinated people from no more than one household. Don't gather indoors without masks if any of those people, or anyone they live with, has an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 (examples immunocompromised, 65 years+)
• If you have a known exposure to someone with COVID-19, you probably don't need to quarantine if you are exposed, unless you have symptoms. To be sure, check out the guidance about quarantine here.

Fully vaccinated people should continue to:

• Wear masks and socially distance in public.
• Avoid medium or larger-sized gatherings
• Delay domestic and international travel. If you do travel, you still need to follow CDC requirements.
• Watch for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if you have been around someone who is sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, get tested and stay home and away from others.
• Follow guidance at your workplace.

We are still learning how well vaccines prevent the spread of COVID-19 and updates are ongoing. Check out the CDC's website for the latest guidance for people fully vaccinated.

Who is eligible?

Everyone age 16 years and older is currently eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. At this time, COVID-19 vaccines are not authorized for children younger than 16 years old. Clinical trials are in process for young children.

Learn more about vaccination for youth, including consent requirements, at kingcounty.gov/vaccine/youth.

Where are vaccinations available now?

• Long-Term Care Facilities, residents of nursing homes, assisted living and some other long-term care facilities are receiving vaccine on-site through a national partnership with pharmacy chains.
  
  
• Health Care Systems, including doctors, hospitals, and community clinics, are the primary way that most of the older adults in King County will get vaccinated.
  
  
• Mobile Vaccination Teams, coordinated by Public Health and local Fire Departments are reaching highest risk older adults, including those residing in Adult Family Homes and affordable senior living facilities.
  
  
• High Volume Vaccination Sites, coordinated by Public Health, are reaching groups in south King County with higher rates of hospitalization and death from COVID-19, including older adults and individuals who cannot live independently, and their caregivers.
  
  
• Pharmacies: Just like getting a flu shot at your local pharmacy, many pharmacy chains – including grocery stores – have COVID-19 vaccine appointments available.
  
  
• Community of Faith Based Clinics: Meal sites, senior centers, and faith-based organizations are examples where pop-up clinics are being planned, as soon as doses are available.
  
  
• In-Home Vaccination is be an option for homebound older adults. Mobile vaccinations teams and authorized health care providers who provide in-home visits provide these vaccinations.