Reminder: Second dose of vaccine provides the most protection

For the strongest protection against COVID-19, USA Health employees who have received the first dose of the vaccine should make sure to schedule and receive their second dose.

Two doses of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine received 21 days apart are necessary to produce a high vaccine efficacy of 95 percent in preventing COVID-19 in the recipient. The efficacy of a single dose has not been systematically evaluated.

“The vaccine is safe and effective,” said Michael Chang, M.D., chief medical officer for USA Health. “But we all need to do our part to stop the spread of COVID-19 by getting both doses of the vaccine as recommended.”

How to sign up for the vaccine

USA Health employees or their managers can schedule appointments to receive the vaccine at our drive-through clinic at the Mobile Civic Center. The first step is to sign up online.

After completing the form, you will be contacted by email or text to schedule a vaccine appointment.

Since Dec. 15, 2020, USA Health has provided more than 20,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine to those in groups approved by the Alabama Department of Public Health, including healthcare workers, those age 65 and older, educators and others. During a mass vaccine clinic held on Feb. 13, more than 2,200 shots were administered to teachers and other community members in qualifying categories.

The most commonly reported side effects from the Pfizer vaccine are pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain and fever. The vaccine is authorized by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration for individuals age 16 and older.