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COVID-19 Vaccination in Indiana

Anyone age 5 and older may now schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment. Click here to register or call 211 (866-211-9966) if you do not have access to a computer or need assistance. Walk-in appointments are also accepted at most vaccination sites, but registration is encouraged to ensure the appropriate dose is available at your chosen location.

When you enter a ZIP code to search for a vaccination site, you will find several vaccination locations near you. The site’s information will include which vaccine is likely available at the site (excludes sites in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program other than Walmart). You can click “Find Next Available Appointment” to get to the soonest date and time. Zoom out on the map to expand your search. If you don’t see the vaccination site you’re looking for, it’s possible that all appointments are full.

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) reviewed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) amended Emergency Use Authorization of COVID-19 of the Pfizer vaccine for ages 5 to 11. Sites that offer vaccine to that age group are marked with a pin on the site map. The federal government is sending vaccine in waves, so all sites may not have doses immediately, but appointments are available at all sites based on expected delivery dates. If you would like a walk-in appointment, please check the map for a site with pediatric Pfizer and call ahead to ensure vaccine is available for that age group.

The CDC has posted a COVID-19 vaccination schedule. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two initial doses. An 8-week interval may be optimal for some people ages 12 years and older, especially for males ages 12 to 39 years. While absolute risk remains small, the relative risk for myocarditis is higher for males ages 12-39 years, and this risk might be reduced by extending the interval between the first and second dose. A shorter interval (3 weeks for Pfizer-BioNTech; 4 weeks for Moderna) between the first and second doses remains the recommended interval for: people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised; adults ages 65 years and older; and others who need rapid protection due to increased concern about community transmission or risk of severe disease.

Please note that anyone younger than 18 must receive the Pfizer vaccine. It is the only vaccine to receive Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA for that age group. The FDA has also issued a statement limiting the authorized use of Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine to anyone 18 years of age and older if other approved vaccines are not available or clinically appropriate, and they would otherwise not get vaccinated.

Vaccine booster doses have also been authorized by the CDC and FDA. A “booster dose” is another dose of a vaccine that is given to someone who built enough protection after vaccination, but then that protection decreased over time (this is called waning immunity).

Based on CDC recommendations, the Indiana Department of Health supports the administration of booster doses to individuals who attest to meeting CDC guidelines.

Booster doses are recommended for anyone 5 or older who received the second Pfizer doses at least five months ago, and anyone 18 and older who received the Moderna doses at least five months ago or who got the single dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine two or more months ago.

Eligible individuals may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose (Español). Some people may have a preference for the vaccine type that they originally received and others may prefer to get a different booster. CDC’s recommendations now allow for this type of mix-and-match dosing for booster shots. The type of vaccine at each site is designated on the map and by the site name (M for Moderna, P for Pfizer and J for Johnson & Johnson). Teens 12–17 years old can get a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster.

The FDA has authorized administration of a second booster dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for those 50 years of age and older and immunocompromised individuals ages 12 and older. The CDC has also updated its recommendations. Second booster doses can be administered at any vaccination site.

A booster dose is not the same as the third additional dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine due to an individual’s immunocompromised status. Sometimes people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised do not build enough (or any) protection when they first get a vaccination. When this happens, getting another dose of the vaccine can sometimes help them build more protection against the disease. Now approved for anyone age 5 and older.

The state Department of Health, following guidance from the CDC and ACIP, recommends that people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised receive an additional dose of the mRNA (Pfizer or Moderna) COVID-19 vaccine due to their increased vulnerability to serious, prolonged illness from COVID-19.

This includes people who have:

  • Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
  • Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
  • Received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
  • Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
  • Advanced or untreated HIV infection
  • Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response

People should talk to their healthcare providers about their medical condition and whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for them. A physician’s order is not necessary to receive a third dose, but the vaccination provider may ask for verbal confirmation of eligibility.

People who are immunocompromised are especially vulnerable to COVID-19. Everyone, including immunocompromised people, should receive a COVID-19 vaccine primary series if they are 5 years and older as soon as possible. People who are immunocompromised are especially vulnerable to COVID-19, and may be able to receive a third dose 28 days after their second primary dose. Immunocompromised individuals should also receive a booster shot as soon as they are eligible.

Check the CDC website for more details.

Received the vaccine? Make sure you sign up for the v-safe after-vaccination health checker.

Get your vaccination certificate

If you’ve been vaccinated, connect with the Indiana Vaccination Portal to get your vaccination certificate using Access Indiana.
Click here then on the tile "Indiana Vaccination Portal"

Have a question about COVID-19 vaccine? Search our Frequently Asked Questions.

To filter the FAQ lists below, please type in a keyword or phrase in the search field. Once you start typing the lists below will show only relevant results.

Vaccine Safety

Vaccine Scheduling and Registration

Vaccine Administration

Schedule Second Dose

Your Vaccination

Other Vaccine Questions


About the vaccine

Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), and additional vaccines are being developed by other manufacturers. The EUA process has allowed for clinical trials and manufacturing to occur simultaneously, while still allowing for rigorous testing to determine how safe and effective it is.

  1. Safety is top priority.
    The first goal is to focus on the safety of the vaccine and determining how effective it is. Before any vaccine is released, it must first complete three phases of clinical trials to study its effect on thousands of diverse study participants. Once that study is done, the pharmaceutical company submits the results for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. FDA. This is a way to make important health breakthroughs available to the public quickly.

    The vaccine is then reviewed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). ACIP is a federal advisory committee of medical and public health experts who develop recommendations on the use of vaccines in the U.S. public.

    The next step before the vaccine is available is for the Indiana Department of Health’s Vaccine Allocation Plan Development Advisory Group to make final recommendations on the ethical and equitable allocation of a limited COVID-19 vaccine.

    2. For primary and booster vaccination, people should receive an age-appropriate mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna). The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is authorized for anyone age 18 and older if no other approved vaccine is available because of a slightly increased risk for a rare but serious blood clotting disorder. Most people who developed these blood clots and low levels of platelets were females ages 18 through 49 years. Symptoms typically began one to two weeks following vaccination, and no cases occurred more than 30 days following vaccination. The chance of this occurring is remote. You should seek medical attention right away if you have any of the following symptoms after receiving Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine:

    • Severe or persistent headaches or blurred vision
    • Shortness of breath
    • Chest pain
    • Leg swelling
    • Persistent abdominal pain
    • Easy bruising or tiny blood spots under the skin beyond the site of the injection
    • V-Safe Information Sheet (English) (Spanish) (Chinese) (Korean) (Vietnamese)

  2. Vaccine is available near you. The Pfizer vaccine is available for anyone age 5 and older, and the Moderna vaccine is available for anyone age 18 and older. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is authorized for anyone age 18 and older if no other approved vaccine is available.

    Vaccines by Pfizer ( click here for Spanish version ), Moderna (click here for Spanish version) and Johnson & Johnson (click here for Spanish version) are now available. COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people 5 years and older, including people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant i<p>n the future. Evidence about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy has been growing. These data suggest that the benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine outweigh any known or potential risks of vaccination during pregnancy.

    Already received the vaccine? Make sure you’re on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s v-safe after vaccination health checker.

  3. Vaccine is free. Your insurance may be billed an administration fee but patients will not be charged.

  4. Based on evolving evidence, CDC recommends fully vaccinated people get tested immediately if they have symptoms or 5 days after close contact with a person with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

    People are considered fully vaccinated:

    • 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
    • 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine

    The CDC has updated its quarantine guidelines. The following information outlines quarantine guidelines for people who have been exposed to COVID-19:

    If you are unvaccinated:

    • Stay home for 5 days. After that continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.
    • If you can’t quarantine, you must wear a mask for 10 days.
    • Test on day 5 if possible.
    • If you develop symptoms, get a test and stay home.

    If you have NOT received a booster dose, and have completed the primary series of an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) 6 or more months ago or completed the primary series of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine 2 or more months ago:
    Stay home for 5 days. After that continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.

    • If you can’t quarantine, you must wear a mask for 10 days.
    • Test on day 5 if possible.
    • If you develop symptoms, get a test and stay home.

    If you HAVE received a booster dose, or completed the primary series of an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) less than 6 months ago or completed the primary series of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine less than 2 months ago:

    • Wear a mask around others for 10 days.
    • Test on day 5, if possible.
    • If you develop symptoms, get a test and stay home.

Vaccine Information:

Host a Community COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Event

Use your smartphone to tell CDC about any side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. You’ll also get reminders if you need a second vaccine dose.

vsafe

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This site was last updated May 12, 2022 3:54 PM