COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ

You may walk into any of the Vaccine Clinics during the hours listed below.

• Palm Springs: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, 760-808-8400
• Indio: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, 760-808-8400
• Yucca Valley Clinic: Thursdays Only, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM 760-365-9878
• All clinics are closed 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM for lunch

Frequently Asked Questions [Updated FAQs 6/11/24]

Do I have to get my vaccine at DOHC or are there other options?

DOHC offers COVID vaccines at no cost to members at three different convenient locations across the valley. Please see above for vaccine clinic locations, hours and phone number.

If you have been fully vaccinated you can consider doing the following:

• You can gather indoors with fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask
• You can gather indoors with unvaccinated people from one other household (for example, visiting with relatives who all live together) without masks, unless any of those people or anyone they live with has an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
• If you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless you have symptoms.
  • However, if you live in a group setting (like a correctional or detention facility or group home) and are around someone who has COVID-19, you should still stay away from others for 14 days and get tested, even if you don’t have symptoms.

What is considered up to date?

Per CDC guidelines updated 5/14/24

People aged 5 – 64 years

• You are up to date when you get 1 age-appropriate updated COVID-19 vaccine.

Children aged 6 months – 4 years

• You are up to date when you get all recommended doses, including at least 1 dose of updated COVID-19 vaccine.

People aged 65 years and older

• You are up to date when you have received 2 updated 2023–2024 COVID-19 vaccine doses.

People aged 65 and older who have not previously received any COVID-19 vaccine doses and choose to get Novavax should get 2 doses of updated Novavax vaccine, followed by 1 additional dose of any updated 2023–2024 COVID-19 vaccine to be up to date.

People who got the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine

• You are up to date when you get 1 updated COVID-19 vaccine.

The latest vaccine formulation was released in September of 2023.

What Hasn’t Changed

For now, if you’ve been fully vaccinated:

You should still take steps to protect yourself and others in many situations, like wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces. Take these precautions whenever you are:

• In public
• Gathering with unvaccinated people from more than one other household
• Visiting with an unvaccinated person who is at increased risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19 or who lives with a person at increased risk
• You should still avoid medium or large-sized gatherings.
• You should still delay domestic and international travel. If you do travel, you’ll still need to follow CDC requirements and recommendations.
• You should still watch out for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if you’ve been around someone who is sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested and stay home and away from others.
• You will still need to follow guidance at your workplace.

What vaccines does DOHC offer?

At this point, DOHC provides the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

If I already got my vaccine, how do I let you know?

Congratulations on successfully getting your COVID Vaccines! Yes, we would like to get this information into your medical chart so your Provider knows you have been vaccinated and so we do not contact you unnecessarily for an appointment.  Please give us your legal name, DOB and type of vaccine so that we can cross-check your information and enter it correctly into your vaccine record.  Again – thanks for helping protect yourself and reducing the impact of the pandemic!

Is the Vaccine Safe?

Yes, the vaccine is safe. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) carefully reviews all safety data from clinical trials and authorized full approval to Pfizer and Moderna. To date, millions of people have received the vaccines with only minor or moderate side effects.

Experts continue to conduct more studies about the effect of COVID-19 vaccination on severity of illness from COVID-19,as well as its ability to keep people from spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. 

Will Getting vaccinated help prevent getting sick with COVID-19?

COVID-19 vaccination helps protect you by creating an antibody response without having to experience sickness. While many people with COVID-19 have only a mild illness, others may get a severe illness or they may even die. There is no way to know how COVID-19 will affect you, even if you are not at increased risk of severe complications. If you get sick, you also may spread the disease to friends, family, and others around you while you are sick.

But remember, vaccines are not a perfect 100% protection from the virus.  You must continue to wear a mask, socially distance, and reduce unnecessary exposure – You are vaccinated – that does not mean the people you encounter outside your circle are vaccine free.

What should I do if I have a reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine?

The chances of you experiencing a severe reaction to the COVID-19 vaccination are extremely rare. However, if you see signs of a severe allergic reaction (hives, swelling of the face and throat, difficulty breathing, a fast heartbeat, dizziness, or weakness), call 911 and get to the nearest hospital.

For other signs that concern you please call your health care provider or go to the nearest Desert Oasis Immediate Care.

Is it Better to Get Natural Immunity Rather than Immunity from Vaccines?

Getting COVID-19 may offer some natural protection, known as immunity. However, experts don’t know how long this protection lasts, and the risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19 far outweighs any benefits of natural immunity. COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you by creating an antibody response without having to experience sickness.  Because some people with COVID-19 can have very mild symptoms, some may see natural infection as preferable to receiving a new vaccine. However, COVID-19 can have serious, life-threatening complications, and there is no way to know how COVID-19 will affect you. If you get sick, you could spread the disease to friends, family, and others around you.  Simply put, there is not enough known about natural immunity to take chances – we recommend getting the vaccine.

What are the Known Side Effects?

Most people do not have serious problems after being vaccinated. Common side effects may include: your arm may be sore, red, or warm to the touch. These symptoms usually go away on their own within a week. Some people report getting a headache or fever when getting a vaccine. These side effects are a sign that your immune system is doing exactly what it is supposed to do. It is working and building up protection to disease.

However, it does take time and more people getting vaccinated before we learn about very rare or long-term side effects. That is why safety monitoring will continue. CDC has an independent group of experts that reviews all the safety data as it comes in and provides regular safety updates. If a safety issue is detected, immediate action will take place to determine if the issue is related to the COVID-19 vaccine and determine the best course of action.

Will the COVID-19 vaccines give you COVID-19?

NO. None of the COVID-19 vaccines currently in development in the United States use the live virus that causes COVID-19. There are several different types of vaccines in development. However, the goal for each of them is to teach our immune systems how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19. Sometimes this process can cause symptoms, such as fever. These symptoms are normal and are a sign that the body is building immunity

It typically takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity after vaccination. That means it’s possible a person could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after vaccination and get sick. This is because the vaccine has not had enough time to provide protection.

Will COVID-19 vaccines cause you to test positive on COVID-19 viral tests?

NO. Vaccines currently in clinical trials in the United States won’t cause you to test positive on viral tests, which are used to see if you have a current infection.

If your body develops an immune response, which is the goal of vaccination, there is a possibility you may test positive on some antibody tests. Antibody tests indicate you had a previous infection and that you may have some level of protection against the virus. Experts are currently looking at how COVID-19 vaccination may affect antibody-testing results.

Should People who have gotten sick with COVID-19 get vaccinated?

YES. However, the CDC recommends waiting for 90 days after having COVID to get the vaccine.

Due to the severe health risks associated with COVID-19 and the fact that re-infection with COVID-19 is possible; people may be advised to get a COVID-19 vaccine even if they have been sick with COVID-19 before. At this time, experts do not know how long someone is protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19. The immunity someone gains from having an infection, called natural immunity, varies from person to person. Some early evidence suggests natural immunity may not last very long.

Best advice, if you have had COVID ask your health care provider when you should get the vaccine.

Will Receiving an mRNA vaccine alter your DNA?

No. mRNA stands for messenger ribonucleic acid and can most easily be described as instructions for how to make a protein or even just a piece of a protein. mRNA is not able to alter or modify a person’s genetic makeup (DNA). The mRNA from a COVID-19 vaccine never enter the nucleus of the cell, which is where our DNA are kept. This means the mRNA does not affect or interact with our DNA in any way. Instead, COVID-19 vaccines that use mRNA work with the body’s natural defenses to safely develop protection (immunity) to disease.

Can I get the vaccine if I am pregnant or breastfeeding?

The current vaccines that are approved under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are recommended for expecting and nursing mothers by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Vaccines have shown no harm to either mother or baby and passive immunity from mothers have been shown to be beneficial to babies. For more information on recommended vaccines during pregnancy please visit CDC website on recommended vaccines for pregnancy.

Contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

Call 1-800-232-4636 (1-800-CDC-INFO) or Visit CDC website:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html