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The COVID-19 vaccine is here! We are working hard to vaccinate all eligible individuals.

Anyone who is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine can get vaccinated at a New York State or City vaccination site. Our health centers have a very limited supply of vaccine.
At this time, please do not call us about appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine. These calls make it hard for you and others to get through to our providers for other medical issues. Please keep checking this page for updates instead.

As of April 6, 2021, the following individuals are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine:

• • Anyone age 16 or older
  • Frontline health care workers
  • Public-facing grocery store workers
  • Staff and residents of nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, and adult care facilities
  • Individuals living or working in a homeless shelter with shared sleeping, bathing or eating facilities
  • In-person college instructors
  • Public employees (teachers, MTA workers, firefighters, police, etc.)
  • People with certain medical conditions, including: heart conditions, diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney disease, lung disease (such as asthma or COPD), HIV or other condition that affects the immune system, prior or current cancer
  • People with developmental disabilities
  • People who are pregnant
  • Most public-facing essential workers (see full list here)

*If you are an Institute patient with a medical condition and need a doctor’s letter stating your eligibility, login to MyChart, click “Menu” then “Letters”, and you will see “COVID-19 Vaccine Doctor’s Letter”. If you do not have a MyChart account, go to mychart.institute.org to sign up.

Eligible for the vaccine? Here’s what you should know:

• You do not need to be a patient at the Institute for Family Health to schedule your vaccine with us.
• Institute patients: You cannot get the vaccine at your regular primary care appointment. You must schedule a separate appointment just for the COVID-19 vaccine. If you are eligible, you will see a notification in your MyChart account that you have an appointment available to schedule the vaccine.
• In New York City, appointments are available at Family Health Center of Harlem, Walton Family Health Center (Bronx),  Stevenson Family Health Center (Bronx).

In the Mid-Hudson Valley, appointments are available at our Kingston, New Paltz, Ellenville and Hyde Park locations.

• At your appointment, you will need to provide proof of eligibility and sign a certification form stating that you are in one of the eligible groups above.
• You should not get the COVID-19 vaccine if you have received any other vaccines in the last 14 days.
• You should reserve 1 appointment only. If you schedule more than once, you may prevent someone else from getting their vaccine.
• It is extremely important that you keep your appointment, or cancel in advance. We cannot waste any doses. If you need to cancel your appointment, please call 844-434-2778.

Current patient?

Login to MyChart to schedule

Not a patient?

Click here to schedule

You can also get vaccinated at a New York State or New York City vaccine site. In NYC, visit https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/ or call 877-VAX-4NYC. Outside of NYC, visit https://am-i-eligible.covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov or call 833-NYS-4-VAX.

For COVID-19 vaccine information in Ulster and Dutchess county, visit https://covid19.ulstercountyny.gov/vaccine-resource-center/ and https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/DBCH/COVID-19-Vaccine-Information.htm.

Please note: You will not be able to see https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/ on Internet Explorer. Please use Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Edge or another internet browser instead.

Not eligible yet?

• Bookmark this page and check back soon.
• If you are a patient at the Institute, sign up for MyChart to be notified of when you can schedule your COVID-19 vaccine.

Sign up for MyChart

Questions and Answers about the COVID-19 Vaccine

Is the vaccine safe? Has it been tested enough?

Because COVID-19 is so serious, scientists from all over the world have worked together to create safe vaccines. COVID-19 vaccines were tested in large research studies to make sure they are safe. People of different ages, races, and ethnicities, as well as those with different medical conditions, volunteered to participate in these studies, which have shown the vaccines are safe. The U.S. government, New York State, and many countries around the world have set up special committees to make sure the vaccines are safe.

How many shots do I need? Will they hurt?

We are currently offering the Moderna vaccine. For the Moderna vaccine, you will need one shot, and then a second shot 28 days later. When you come in for your first shot, we will schedule your second appointment.

Shots often feel like a quick pinch. After, your arm might feel sore or warm, or look red. You might get a headache or a fever. Some people have worse side effects after their second shot. These side effects are a sign that the vaccine is working.

Will the vaccine give me COVID-19 or make me feel sick?

The vaccine cannot give you COVID-19. You may feel some side effects from the vaccine, like a headache or fever. Your arm might feel sore or warm, or look red. These side effects should go away on their own within a week. If you have more serious side effects, please call us so we can help.

What will the vaccine cost?

Everyone will be able to get vaccinated regardless of insurance or ability to pay. If you have insurance, your insurance may pay. Otherwise, you will be able to get the vaccine for free from us or from New York State or New York City.

If I had COVID-19, do I still need to get vaccinated?

Yes. Some people who had COVID-19 can get it again. Even if you had COVID-19 and you think you might be immune, getting the vaccine is the safest choice. However, you should not get vaccinated if you are currently sick with COVID-19. If you have COVID-19 now, talk to your provider about when to get vaccinated.

If I recently received another vaccine, can I get the COVID-19 vaccine?

You should not get the COVID-19 vaccine if you have recently received other vaccines in the last 14 days. You can get the COVID-19 vaccine after 14 days have passed from receiving another vaccine.

Can children get the vaccine?

To start, young children will not be able to receive the vaccine. Children ages 16 and older can receive one version of the vaccine. We will find out more soon about whether the other vaccines are ok for children. Most children who get COVID-19 don’t get very sick, so it was important to work on a vaccine for adults first.

Can people who are pregnant get the vaccine?

If you are pregnant, talk with your provider about whether you should get vaccinated. There is less information about whether the COVID-19 vaccines are ok for people who are pregnant.

Do I still have to wear a face covering and avoid close contact with people after I’m vaccinated?

Yes. The vaccine is not a perfect fix. We will still need to practice other precautions like wearing a face covering that covers your nose and mouth, social distancing, handwashing and other hygiene measures until public health officials say otherwise. It’s important for everybody to continue to practice these precautions to help stop this pandemic.

Will the vaccine protect me for the rest of my life?

We do not yet know how long the protection from the vaccine will last. The safest choice is to get vaccinated now. As we learn more, we will know whether people will need to get vaccinated again later.

Printer-friendly Q&A

More people are becoming eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine every day. Bookmark institute.org/covid19vaccine and check soon for new information.

If you are an Institute patient, sign up for MyChart to be notified of when you can schedule your COVID-19 vaccine.