IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 Vaccine Out of an abundance of caution, Conviva Care Centers has suspended vaccinations using the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 Vaccine until further guidance is provided by the CDC and FDA. Anyone who has received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine who develops severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain/swelling, or shortness of breath within three (3) weeks after vaccination should contact their physician immediately.
COVID-19 vaccine safety and our patients’ health are a top priority for Conviva Care Centers. According to the CDC, right now, adverse events associated with the J&J vaccine appear to be extremely rare and most people have done well. Read these Frequently Asked Questions for more information. If you have any additional questions, reach out to your doctor.
Conviva Care Centers is proud to share we have vaccinated more than 18,000 patients in Florida throughout our Care Centers as vaccine supplies have become available to us. While vaccine supplies remain limited throughout the US, we continue to work with state officials to secure vaccine doses in all Conviva Care Centers in both Florida and Texas.
If you are a current Conviva patient in Florida and are interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, please call your Conviva Care Center. A member of your Care Team will help schedule an appointment as vaccine supplies become available or add you to a wait list. We will contact you as soon as an appointment becomes available. Thank you for your patience while we work through the large volume of patients who are interested in being vaccinated. Please check this page frequently for updates.
Your continued wellbeing is our highest priority, which is why we strongly recommend that you receive the vaccine as soon as possible. We encourage our patients and community members to take advantage of any opportunity to schedule a vaccination appointment at our centers or through other state and local vaccination sites in Florida and Texas
We are here for you, always. If you have any questions or concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine, its benefits, possible side effects, or what to expect after you receive it, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions below or reach out to a member of your care team.
Conviva Cares About Your Health If you are currently not a Conviva patient, click here for information on how you can join the Conviva Family and get expert, personalized, senior primary care services to live your best life.
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Vaccines are an important tool to help communities fight the spread of certain bacterial and viral infections, including COVID-19, and help people stay healthy. They work with your immune system so your body will be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed.
This is why getting the COVID-19 vaccine, combined with following recommendations by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including wearing masks, practicing social distancing, and washing your hands remain the best protections against the virus. We believe the vaccines are both safe and effective, and the benefits of being vaccinated outweigh any identified risks or side effects. Talk to your doctor about what is best for you.
Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine and its benefits.
Because of limited initial supply, the CDC recommends that the vaccine be distributed in phases, beginning with those who are most at risk. Learn about the latest CDC recommendations.
It’s important to note that states are developing their own prioritization plans based on the CDC’s recommendations, so eligible groups may vary somewhat from state to state. Learn more about eligibility for the vaccine in your state.
Florida Department of Health – COVID-19 Response
https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/
Texas Department of State Health Services
COVID-19 Vaccine Information
https://www.dshs.texas.gov/
We strongly encourage all Conviva patients to receive the COVID-19 vaccine when available. While vaccine supplies remain limited throughout the US, we continue to work with state officials to secure vaccine doses in Conviva Care Centers locations in both Florida and Texas. Due to the limited supply, we will likely get vaccines in batches and will schedule appointments based on the number of vaccines received in each shipment. We will schedule vaccination appointments in accordance with federal and state prioritization guidelines. In the meantime, we are working on a distribution plan and will inform you when the vaccine becomes available.
Conviva Care Centers has received an initial allotment of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine to administer to our Conviva Care Center patients in Florida. Due to limited supplies, the states may provide future allocations of the vaccine in any combination of the Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson or other subsequently approved COVID-19 vaccines.
At this time, due to the limited availability of vaccine, it is likely not possible to select which vaccine to receive. Fortunately, all vaccines that are out on the market and approved for use have been rigorously reviewed for both effectiveness and safety.
As the CDC has reported, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines did show higher effectiveness at preventing overall incidence of COVID-19 illness in their trials than the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. However, it is important to note that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was tested during a time with more contagious and harmful virus strains than the ones which existed during the Moderna and Pfizer trials. Despite those conditions, the J&J vaccine significantly reduced all COVID-19 infections and was 100% effective in preventing hospitalization and death from COVID-19 during the trial.
Given the impressive safety and effectiveness of all the available COVID-19 vaccines, it is most prudent to receive any of the available approved vaccines at your earliest opportunity, rather than waiting until later when there might be more availability of vaccine choices.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/Pfizer-BioNTech.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/Moderna.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/janssen.html
The COVID-19 vaccines will be delivered via injection.
The Pfizer vaccine requires 2 shots administered approximately 21 days apart.
The Moderna vaccine requires 2 shots administered approximately 28 days apart. Remember that you will not get maximum protection from just 1 dose of these vaccines. It is critical that you schedule and receive the second dose in order to receive the most protection possible.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires 1 shot.
Yes. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. They were evaluated in tens of thousands of participants in clinical trials. The vaccines met FDA’s rigorous scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality.
There are currently three authorized COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccines from Pfizer®, Moderna® and Johnson & Johnson® have each received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in the U.S., meaning that they can be made available to the public during the pandemic. All three authorized COVID-19 vaccines demonstrated a nearly 100% effectiveness in preventing severe disease requiring hospitalization. To learn more about COVID-19 vaccine’s safety visit the CDC’s COVID-19 website.
According to the CDC, both the Pfizer1 and Moderna2 vaccines are reported to be 94% to 95% effective in preventing COVID-19. Remember that you will not get maximum protection from just 1 dose of these vaccines. It is critical that you schedule and receive the second dose in order to receive the most protection possible.
The Johnson & Johnson3 vaccine is reported to be about 72% effective at preventing COVID-19 in trials conducted in the U.S., 85% effective at preventing severe disease, and was 100% effective in preventing hospitalization and death.
It is possible that you will experience some side effects after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. According to the CDC, “After COVID-19 vaccination, you may have some side effects. This is a normal sign that your body is building protection.”
Common vaccine side effects highlighted by the CDC range from pain at the injection site to flu-like symptoms. To learn more from the CDC on dealing with symptoms and when to call the doctor click here.
There have been extremely rare incidents of significant allergic reactions reported. The CDC is working with vaccine providers to put safeguards in place for dealing with severe allergic reactions. Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines and severe allergic reactions by clicking here.
After receiving the vaccine, consider signing up for V-safe from the CDC. “V-safe is a smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after you receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Through v-safe, you can quickly tell CDC if you have any side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Depending on your answers, someone from CDC may call to check on you and get more information. And v-safe will remind you to get your second COVID-19 vaccine dose if you need one.”
Learn more about v-safe
Yes, you should be vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19. That’s because experts do not yet know how long you are protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19.
The timing for vaccination should align with CDC recommendations, which depend on the severity of the infection.
Your Conviva Family is always here for you. If you have concerns due to your health status or a specific medical condition, speak with your Conviva physician or Care Team about whether the vaccine is appropriate for you.
Now more than ever, it is vital that you get the medical care you need and attend your doctor’s appointments. Keeping your health conditions well managed—by staying on top of your preventive and regular medical care—will help to reduce your health risk during this pandemic. It is one of the best ways to protect yourself and stay well.
Remember, that for most people, a COVID-19 vaccine will not be available for months, so it is important to continue to protect yourself before and after you get vaccinated. You should cover your mouth and nose with a mask when around others, avoid close contact with people who are sick, stay six feet away from others, avoid crowds, and wash your hands often. If you start to not feel well or have questions about your health, please call our office and speak to a member of your care team.
Once fully vaccinated, you will still need to take precautions. The CDC has put out new recommendations for what you can do, and what protocols you should continue to observe after you’ve been fully vaccinated.
Learn more from the CDC about when you’ve been fully vaccinated
At Conviva, your health is the most important thing. If you are able to get the vaccine from another source authorized by your state’s department of health, please do so. Make sure to get your second dose of the vaccine at the same location where you received your first dose. Please keep track of your two vaccine doses and communicate this update to your Conviva doctor at your next visit. Before you do get vaccinated outside your Care Center:
No. The flu vaccine will not protect you from getting COVID-19. Getting the flu vaccine can prevent you from getting influenza (flu). That means that getting a flu vaccine is more important than ever.
Individuals should not get the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as any other vaccinations. The CDC recommends that the COVID-19 vaccine be administered at least 14 days before or after any other vaccine.
For example, after getting the COVID-19 vaccine, one should wait at least 14 days before getting any other vaccine, including for the flu or shingles. Similarly, if another vaccination is administered first, one should wait at least 14 days before getting the COVID-19 vaccine.5
Yes. All FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines will be covered at no additional cost during the public health emergency. It also covers instances in which two vaccine doses are required.
Sources
