First and second dose
Everyone aged 6 months and older is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Note: For infants and children through age 17, a parent or guardian must be present during the appointment or available by phone.
Overview
How to schedule an appointment
Appointments are available at UW Health clinics in Wisconsin and Rockford, Ill. Patients can login to their MyChart accounts and schedule an appointment.
Schedule a vaccine appointment
Login to your MyChart account
Once you log in, select Visits and then Schedule an appointment
Select Covid-19 and/or Flu vaccine from the available options
If you do not have a MyChart account, you can sign up today.
If you are unable to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment on MyChart, please contact your primary care provider’s clinic directly (find your UW Health location). COVID-19 vaccines are also available at pharmacies and other healthcare locations, to find a location near you, visit vaccines.gov.
Eligibility requirements
Which dose should I get?
Third dose
Infants and children ages 6 months to under 5 years receiving the Pfizer vaccine will need three doses for their primary series.
The CDC recommends that individuals ages 5 years and older who are immunocompromised and who originally received Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines should receive a third dose at least 28 days after completing their second dose. This includes people who have:
Recently received or are currently receiving 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
Youth ages 5-17 who are immunocompromised are eligible for a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
Note: Individuals who are immunocompromised and eligible for a third dose need to wait a minimum of 28 days from their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine before receiving the third dose.
Infants and children ages 6 months to under 5 years need to wait a minimum of eight weeks before receiving their third dose.
If you are unsure whether you should receive a third dose, please talk to your health care provider about whether you are eligible.
The third dose recommendation does not apply to people who originally received Johnson & Johnson.
Booster doses
A “booster dose” is different than a third dose of the vaccine. People who are fully immunized for COVID-19 can receive a booster dose from the same or different manufacturer as their previous series depending on their age. This is based on research that has shown it is safe and effective to mix and match vaccines.
A single booster dose using the bivalent formulation of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine is recommended for some patients.
Am I eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine booster?
Patients 5 years of age and older receive a single dose bivalent booster 2 months after completing their primary series or last dose of monovalent booster vaccine.
Children as young as 6 months of age who received the Moderna vaccine for their primary series are eligible for a bivalent booster using the Moderna vaccine. As this time, children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years who received the Pfizer three dose primary series are not eligible for a booster.
The new bivalent booster vaccine is an updated formulation that protects against the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 and the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2. If you received a booster dose on or before Aug. 31, 2022, then you will have only received the monovalent formulation for your booster dose and will be eligible for the bivalent single booster dose two months after your monovalent booster dose.
Pfizer-BioNTech
Eligibility: Ages 5 and older
When to get your booster: At least two months after completion of your primary COVID-19 vaccination series or the last monovalent booster dose
Moderna
Eligibility: Ages 6 months and older
When to get your booster: At least two months after completion of your primary COVID-19 vaccination series or the last monovalent booster dose
Johnson & Johnson
Eligibility: Age 18 and older
More information: The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is authorized for use in certain limited situations due to safety considerations associated with blood clots. Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines are recommended over the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
When to get your booster: At least two months after your original shot
Novavax
Eligibility: Age 18 and older
More information: A monovalent Novavax booster may be used in limited situations for those who have not received any previous booster dose(s) and are unable or unwilling to receive an mRNA vaccine and would not otherwise receive a booster dose.
What to expect
After your COVID-19 vaccine
Normal side effects you might experience include:
Injection site pain
Injection site swelling
Injection site redness
Tiredness
Headache
Muscle pain
Chills
Joint pain
Fever
Nausea
Feeling unwell
Swollen lymph nodes
Call your provider if :
Normal side effects listed above last for more than 72 hours
You have had exposure to someone with a diagnosed COVID-19 infection
You are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms (listed below, not considered a normal side effect)
Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, chills, cough, stuffy nose, headache, shortness of breath, chest tightness, sore throat, lack of smell or taste, severe fatigue/exhaustion, muscle pain, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting.
Note: You cannot get COVID-19 infection from the vaccine; however, you can contract COVID-19 infection through normal community exposure.
Symptoms/side effects for which you should seek immediate medical care:
Difficulty breathing
Swelling of your face and throat
A fast heartbeat
A bad rash all over your body
Dizziness and weakness
COVID-19
Although most people who have COVID-19 have mild symptoms, COVID-19 can also cause some people to get much sicker. Older adults and people with serious health problems are at a higher risk.
