Covid-19 Vaccine FAQs

Answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Covid-19 vaccine.

 

Table of Contents    
About the Vaccine Eligibility Doses and Process
Fully Vaccinated Appointments  

FAQ

About the Vaccine

How does the Covid-19 vaccine work?

Updated December 21, 2022

Like other vaccines, Covid-19 vaccines aid in the development of immunity to the virus. All vaccines protect the body by creating antibodies that fight future viruses. The Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine and Moderna Covid-19 vaccine both use mRNA to stimulate the production of these antibodies.

Individuals can be infected with Covid-19 shortly before or after vaccination because it usually takes your body a few weeks to produce the protective antibodies.

After vaccination, side effects can occur. However, this usually means that the body is developing immunity.

Learn More

 

How many doses will I need to receive in order for the vaccine to be fully effective?

Updated December 21, 2022 

Two doses of the vaccine are required. For the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, the doses have to be a minimum of three weeks apart. For the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, the doses have to be a minimum of four weeks apart.

When you receive your initial dose, you will be given information about the earliest that you can get your second dose and instructions for scheduling a second dose.

 

What is the difference between the recommended third dose and the booster shot?

Updated June 30, 2022

For more information, please visit the Covid-19 Vaccine Booster Shots on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

 

Why would I need a booster shot?

Updated June 30, 2022

Protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death from Covid-19 wanes with time in those who have received the primary series of the Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccine. This reduction in protection occurs particularly in older individuals. A booster dose of vaccine stimulates the immune system to reestablish protective levels of immunity.

 

Vaccine Resources

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FAQ

Vaccine Eligibility

Why would I need a booster shot?

Updated June 30, 2022

Protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death from Covid-19 wanes with time in those who have received the primary series of the Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccine. This reduction in protection occurs particularly in older individuals. A booster dose of vaccine stimulates the immune system to reestablish protective levels of immunity.

 

What is the difference between the recommended third dose and the booster shot?

Updated June 30, 2022

For more information, please visit the Covid-19 Vaccine Booster Shots on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

 

Does Georgia Tech require faculty, staff, or students to receive a Covid-19 vaccine?

Updated December 21, 2022

Georgia Tech and the University System of Georgia are committed to the safety of our community and mitigating the spread and harmful effects of Covid-19. We continue to recognize that Covid-19 vaccines and boosters offer safe, effective protection and urge all students, faculty, staff, and visitors to get vaccinated and/or boosted.

 

Is the vaccine available to members of the extended community, such as family members or Georgia Tech retirees?

Updated December 21, 2022

With the widespread availability of Covid-19 vaccines and boosters, Stamps Health Services is shifting its operations to resume its student-centered mission and is ending its provision of Covid-19 vaccines to faculty and staff at the end of December.

More information is available at vaccines.gov.

 

Who is eligible to receive the vaccine at Stamps Health Service?

Updated December 21, 2022

With the widespread availability of Covid-19 vaccines and boosters, Stamps Health Services is shifting its operations to resume its student-centered mission and is ending its provision of Covid-19 vaccines to faculty and staff at the end of December.

Students who are seeking a Covid-19 vaccine and/or booster during the spring semester will be able to schedule a Covid-19 vaccine appointment at Stamps Health Services starting in January 2023 using the Stamps Health Services Patient Portal. Instructions for scheduling your appointment are located here: Schedule a Covid-19 Vaccine Appointment.

 

Are affiliates, Tech Temps, and contract staff eligible to receive the vaccine?

Updated December 21, 2022

With the widespread availability of Covid-19 vaccines and boosters, Stamps Health Services is shifting its operations to resume its student-centered mission and is ending its provision of Covid-19 vaccines to affiliates, Tech Temps, and contract staff at the end of December.

Members of the extended community are encouraged to search for state and local health providers for scheduling a vaccination appointment.

More information is available at vaccines.gov. 

 

If I have already received a vaccine that is not on the FDA authorized list, but is on the WHO list, do I need to get a vaccination on the FDA authorized list?

Updated November 11, 2021

No. If you have received a vaccine on the WHO-approved list, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not recommend that you receive an additional vaccine from the FDA-authorized list.

 

If I received a vaccination that is not on the FDA or WHO lists, do I need to get another vaccination on the FDA authorized list once I arrive at Georgia Tech?

Updated December 21, 2022

To protect yourself as well as the community, individuals who have not yet received vaccinations on the FDA or WHO lists are encouraged to get an FDA-authorized vaccination once they arrive on the Georgia Tech campus. These individuals should work with a medical professional to understand the best vaccine option for them.

Students may make a vaccination appointment by using these instructions: Schedule a Covid-19 Vaccine Appointment.

 

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FAQ

Vaccine Appointments

Do I need to do anything before my vaccination appointment?

Updated December 21, 2022

Remember to bring the following items with you to your appointment:

  • Your Covid-19 vaccination card or any other Covid vaccination documentation you may have. 
  • Your BuzzCard. 

Allow for a 30-minute waiting period after your injection. Most people will need to wait only 15 minutes, but some will need to wait 30 minutes based on past history of allergic reactions. Similar to other vaccines, allergic reactions, although rare, are possible and you will be monitored for any potential reactions.

When you arrive at the vaccine clinic, you do not need to check in for your appointment through the Patient Portal.

 

Do I need to register to receive the vaccine? If so, how?

Updated June 30, 2022

Yes. Please see: How to Schedule a Covid-19 Vaccine Appointment

 

I’m interested in receiving a vaccination after arriving on the Georgia Tech campus. What is the process I need to follow to request a vaccination?

Updated June 18, 2021

You can find instructions for requesting a vaccination on the Stamps Health Services website linked here: How to Schedule a Covid-19 Vaccine Appointment.

 

Where do I go to get the vaccine?

Updated December 21, 2022

The vaccine clinic is located at Stamps Health Services at 740 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332. 

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FAQ

Doses and Process

Do I have to get both doses from Georgia Tech?

Updated December 21, 2022

No, it is not necessary to get both doses from Georgia Tech.

It is important to note that Georgia Tech is administering only the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in the vaccination clinic.

 

If I receive a Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for my first dose, can I receive a Moderna Covid-19 vaccine for my second dose or vice versa?

Updated December 21, 2022

No. The vaccines are not interchangeable, and both doses of the primary series must match. Your vaccine card will specify the type of vaccine you received and when you received it.

Guidance from the FDA and the CDC does allow you to receive a booster dose that is different from the initial two doses of vaccine. Any vaccine can be given as the booster dose. For instance, if you received two doses of Moderna vaccine initially, you can get a booster dose with the Pfizer vaccine.

 

What is the difference between the recommended third dose and the booster shot?

Updated June 30, 2022

For more information, please visit the Covid-19 Vaccine Booster Shots on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

 

What should I do if I get ill in between doses?

If you experience a severe allergic reaction, call 911, or go to the nearest hospital.

Call Stamps Health Services (students) or your healthcare provider (faculty/staff) if your illness seems to be more than mild to moderate expected side effects of the vaccination.

As part of this vaccination program, Stamps Health Services is required to report serious adverse events (irrespective of whether they are caused by the vaccination) after vaccination, which include death, a life-threatening event, inpatient hospitalization or prolongation of an existing hospitalization, a persistent or significant incapacity or significant disruption of the ability to conduct normal life functions, a congenital anomaly or birth defect, or an important medical event that based on medical judgment may jeopardize the individual and may require medical or surgical intervention to prevent one of the outcomes above. Any event meeting these criteria should be reported to Stamps Health Services.

You may also be given an option to enroll in v-safe. V-safe is a new voluntary smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to check in with people who have been vaccinated to identify potential side effects after Covid-19 vaccination. V-safe asks questions that help the CDC monitor the safety of Covid-19 vaccines. V-safe also provides second-dose reminders if needed and live telephone follow-up by CDC if participants report a significant health impact following Covid-19 vaccination. For more information on how to sign up, visit: www.cdc.gov/vsafe.

Source: Moderna and Pfizer info sheets

 

Why would I need a booster shot?

Updated June 30, 2022

Protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death from Covid-19 wanes with time in those who have received the primary series of the Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccine. This reduction in protection occurs particularly in older individuals. A booster dose of vaccine stimulates the immune system to reestablish protective levels of immunity.

 

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FAQ

Fully Vaccinated

Am I allowed to ask a faculty member, staff member, or student if they are vaccinated?

Updated June 16, 2021

No, you are not allowed to inquire about someone’s personal healthcare decision.

 

What are the recommendations for individuals arriving to Georgia Tech after a period of international travel?

Updated January 6, 2022

Georgia Tech requests all individuals traveling to Atlanta from an international location to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

After Arrival in the United States 
You might have been exposed to Covid-19 on your travels, whether you traveled by air, land, or sea. You might feel well and not have any symptoms, but you can still be infected and spread the virus to others. For this reason, CDC recommends the following: 

 

What does it mean to be fully vaccinated?

Updated Sept. 29, 2021

At this time, the definition of "fully vaccinated" has not changed. Individuals who are two weeks past receiving both doses of a two-dose vaccine series, or two weeks past receiving the first dose of a one-dose vaccine series, are considered fully vaccinated.

 

Will Georgia Tech keep track of those who have received the vaccine?

Updated December 21, 2021

Students who are seeking a Covid-19 vaccine and/or booster during the spring semester will be able to schedule a Covid-19 vaccine appointment at Stamps Health Services starting in January 2023. You can find instructions for requesting a vaccination here: Schedule a Covid-19 Vaccine Appointment.

 

Will I receive documentation that I have received the vaccine?

Updated December 8, 2021

Yes. Every person who receives a Covid-19 vaccine in the United States is given a vaccine card at the time of their first dose. The vaccine administration card will list which type of vaccine they received, the lot number, the date, and the signature of the individual who gave the vaccination.

Vaccine recipients should keep this documentation and remember to bring this documentation with them to their second Covid-19 vaccination.

 

Will I still have to wear a mask on campus after receiving the vaccine?

Updated June 30, 2022

The University System of Georgia encourages people to wear masks based on their preference and assessment of personal risk.