Special Edition: COVID-19 Preparedness

Individual and Community Preparedness

Individual and Community Preparedness
Special Edition: COVID-19 Preparedness 

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In This Issue

1 - FDA Fully Approves Pfizer's Coronavirus Vaccine

2 - Understanding COVID -19 Vaccines: What You Need to Know

3 - Find a COVID-19 Vaccine Near You!

4 - Updated Guidance for Fully Vaccinated Individuals

5 - CDC Update on COVID-19 Vaccination During Pregnancy

6 - Find Help with Rent and Utilities 


FDA Fully Approves Pfizer's Coronavirus Vaccine

On August 23, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first COVID-19 vaccine, known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older. FDA-approved vaccines undergo the agency's standard process for reviewing the quality, safety and effectiveness of medical products.

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices.

The FDA's approval of this vaccine is a milestone as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic," Dr. Janet Woodcock, acting commissioner of the FDA, said in the Aug. 23 statement. "The public can be very confident that this vaccine meets the high standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality the FDA requires of an approved product."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends you get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as one is available to you. Find a Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine.

For more information, please visit FDA Approves First COVID-19 Vaccine | FDA


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Understanding COVID-19 Vaccines: What You Need to Know

  • COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective.
  • You may have side effects after vaccination, but these are normal.
  • It typically takes two weeks after you are fully vaccinated for the body to build protection (immunity) against the virus that causes COVID-19.
  • If you are not vaccinated, find a vaccine. Keep taking all precautions until you are fully vaccinated such as wearing masks in public settings and maintaining social distanceIf you are fully vaccinated, you can resume activities that you did prior to the pandemic. Learn more about what you can do when you have been fully vaccinated.
  • Is my COVID-19 vaccine free? Yes, your vaccination is free. The federal government is providing the vaccine free of charge to all people living in the United States, regardless of their immigration or health insurance status.

For more information about COVID-19 vaccinations, visit the CDC's Frequently Asked Questions page.


Find a COVID-19 Vaccine Near You!

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Did you know that everyone aged 16 and older can now receive the COVID-19 vaccine? In fact, over half of the country has already received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine! Join the movement to community immunity by finding a vaccine appointment:

  • Visit vaccines.gov or vacunas.gov (Spanish) to find a vaccine near you.
  • Text your zip code to GETVAX (438829) for English or VACUNA (822862) for Spanish to receive three vaccine sites on your phone within seconds.
  • Call the National COVID-19 Vaccination Assistance Hotline at 1-800-232-0233 for those who prefer to get information via phone call. The call center can assist in over 150 languages and has a TTY line (1-888-720-7489).

Updated Guidance for Fully Vaccinated Individuals

CDC has released updated guidance for people who are fully vaccinated:

  • Outdoor visits and activities are safer than indoor activities, and fully vaccinated people can participate in some indoor events safely, without much risk.
  • When choosing safe activities, consider how COVID-19 is spreading in your community, the number of people participating in the activity, and the location of the activity.
  • If you are not fully vaccinated and aged 2 or older, you should wear a mask in indoor public places.
  • If you are fully vaccinated, to maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission.
  • In areas with high numbers of COVID-19 cases, consider wearing a mask in crowded outdoor settings and for activities with close contact with others who are not fully vaccinated.
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CDC Update on COVID-19 Vaccination During Pregnancy

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends COVID-19 vaccination for all people aged 12 years and older. This includes people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future. Evidence about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy has been growing. These data suggest that the benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine outweigh any known or potential risks of vaccination during pregnancy. Pregnant and recently pregnant people are more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19 compared with non-pregnant people. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine before or during pregnancy decreases this risk.

For more information on the CDC's COVID-19 vaccine recommendations around pregnancy and breastfeeding visit: COVID-19 Vaccines While Pregnant or Breastfeeding (cdc.gov)

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Additional Resources:

Pregnant or just had a baby? Take these steps to protect yourself from COVID-19 (cdc.gov)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Factsheet | BreastFeeding (cdc.gov)

General-Public-Care-for-Yourself.pdf (cdc.gov)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Factsheet | Protect Baby (cdc.gov)


Find Help with Rent and Utilities

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If you've had financial related hardships because of a COVID-19, you're not alone. State and local organizations are distributing federal rental assistance in their communities. The money can help landlords and renters who are struggling to keep up with rent and other bills. Visit Help for renters: Coronavirus housing resources | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (consumerfinance.gov) to search local programs you are eligible for.



This email was sent to linus.stotts.epicblog@blogger.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of FEMA · U.S. Department of Homeland Security · Washington, DC 20472 GovDelivery logo

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