Everything you need to know as vaccines become available to all Indiana residents 16 and older.
ABOUT THE VACCINE
The COVID-19 pandemic has been wreaking havoc in the United States for over a year. Now, vaccines are finally here. There is a lot of information on the internet regarding the vaccines, some of which is misleading. It’s important for employers to learn the facts about the COVID-19 vaccines so they can better communicate with their teams and protect their employees.
To stop this pandemic, we need to use all of our prevention tools. Vaccines are one of the most effective tools to protect your health and prevent disease. Vaccines work with your body’s natural defenses so your body will be ready to fight the virus, if you are exposed. Other steps, like wearing a mask that covers your nose and
mouth and staying at least 6 feet away from other people you don’t live with, also help stop the spread of COVID-19.
- The vaccines are safe. They have gone through rigorous vetting procedures and clinical trials, attesting to their safety and effectiveness.
- The vaccines may cause side effects in some people, like sore muscles, feeling tired, or mild fever. This does not mean you have COVID-19.
- Even after getting your vaccine, you will need to continue to follow state guidelines of mask wearing, hand washing, and social distancing. This will allow you to continue keeping yourself and others safe.
RESOURCES
The following resources are available to you and your employees:
WHY SHOULD I GET THE VACCINE?
Vaccines protect the individual and are the best way for us to reach herd immunity. Herd immunity happens when enough people are protected from a disease because they’ve been vaccinated or had the disease. Experts do not know how long immunity from COVID-19 lasts after having it, so vaccination is the best way for us to reach herd immunity. We answer additional questions such as who should receive the vaccine, who should not receive the vaccine, if employers can require it, and more in our Employer Overview.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE IN INDIANA?
As of March 29 all residents 30+ are eligible and as of March 31, 16+ are eligible. Also eligible are healthcare workers or anyone in close physical contact to patients, anyone with exposure to COVID-19 infectious materials (cleaning staff in hospitals or patient care, test sites, etc), first responders, educators and their support staff, and high risk individuals. For a full list of eligibility and identifying highest risk patients, visit https://www.coronavirus.in.gov/vaccine/.
HOW DO I REGISTER?
Contact your local pharmacy: (CVS, Walgreens, Meijer, Walmart, etc) or visit https://vaccine.coronavirus.in.gov/
COMMUNICATION IS KEY
Frequent communication with your employees is key. LHD has a large inventory of educational posters, infographics, and guides available. Reach out to your LHD rep to receive custom communication and education pieces for your employees like this. Examples include this poster on Identifying Misinformation About COVID-19 Vaccines and this CDC Vaccine Fact Sheet.
