Rock Island County Health Department
Walk-In COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics
The health department will offer walk-in vaccine clinics twice a week at its offices at 2112 25th Ave., Rock Island. The schedule:
- Moderna: Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m.
- Pfizer: Fridays, 9 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m.
***UPDATE on Vaccinations for 6 months to 4 years:
The Rock Island County Health Department will begin giving COVID-19 vaccines to children ages 6 months to 4 years on Wednesdays by appointment. The first clinic will be held Wednesday, June 29. To make an appointment, call 309-794-7080. Clinics for this age group will be held on Wednesdays with Pfizer vaccinations given during the morning appointments and Moderna vaccinations given during the afternoon appointments. The health department set Wednesdays aside for vaccinations of this age group for the foreseeable future.
The announcement follows the approval by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of both the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccines. Today, the health department received both Pfizer and Moderna vaccine for this age group.
“We’ve worked hard to protect tens of thousands of Rock Island County residents from the worst of the virus that causes COVID-19,” health department Administrator Nita Ludwig said. “We are happy now to be able to protect our youngest residents and offer peace of mind to parents.”
The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is authorized to be given to children ages 6 months to 4 years in three microgram doses, with a three-week interval between the first two doses, followed by a third dose at least eight weeks after the second dose. The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is authorized to be given to children 6 months to 4 years in two 25-microgram doses with 28 days between the two doses.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, more than 13.5 million children in the U.S. have been infected with COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic, and although most children experience mild symptoms, more than 42,000 have been hospitalized in the U.S. and at least 1,240 children younger than 18 have died.
“We urge parents to continue to take this unpredictable virus seriously and have their children vaccinated as soon as possible,” Ludwig said. “Children who are vaccinated do not need to quarantine from school or day care after an exposure, unless they are showing symptoms.”
Appointments for children ages 6 months to 4 are required because young children need extra time and care during vaccination.
Everyone 5 and older can be vaccinated against COVID-19 on a walk-in basis. Moderna for 18 and older is offered on Tuesdays and Pfizer for 5 and older is offered on Fridays. All doses are available, including second boosters.
Everyone age 5 and older is eligible to receive a COVID-19 booster five months after the completion of the initial two-dose series. Second boosters are recommended at least four months after the first booster for those who are age 50 and older and those 12 and older who are moderately or severely immunosuppressed. The CDC offers a tool to help residents find out when a booster is appropriate for them at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html
Other providers also are offering COVID-19 vaccines and boosters. Find your shot at vaccines.gov.
In addition, healthcare and pharmacy partners continue to offer all three vaccines. To find a provider, visit vaccines.gov. You can search by ZIP code and vaccine manufacturer.
List of Locations offering Pediatric Vaccines Click Here
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COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shots
The Rock Island County Health Department has begun giving booster shots for qualifying patients who received their second dose of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine at least six months ago, and second booster shots for those who are 50 years and older who received their initial booster shot four months ago.
If you received Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna you are elgible for a booster if you are:
- anyone over the age of 18 is eligible (Pfizer 12 & older) for first booster.
- if you are 50 years and older and it has been 4 months since your first booster (for second booster.)
COVID-19 Quarantine and Isolation (Q&I) Calculator
As of Jan. 13, this is the CDC isolation and quarantine guidance for the general public:
Isolation after a positive test, regardless of vaccination status
- Stay away from everyone for five days. Day 0 is the day you feel symptoms or your test date if you don’t feel symptoms (may include fever, chills, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, body aches, loss of taste and/or smell).
- After five days if you have not had any fever for the last 24 hours and your symptoms are getting better, you can leave isolation.
- You must continue to wear your mask strictly for the next five days.
Quarantine after a close contact
If you come into close contact with someone with COVID-19, you should quarantine if you are in one of the following groups:
- You are ages 18 or older and completed the primary series of recommended vaccine, but have not received a recommended booster shot when eligible.
- You received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine (completing the primary series) over 2 months ago and have not received a recommended booster shot.
- You are not vaccinated or have not completed a primary vaccine series.
Vaccinated and boosted close contacts:
- Do not need to quarantine.
- Should seek testing on Day 5 and if the test is positive, should isolate with the above guidance.
- Should wear a mask for 10 days after the exposure.
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Eligible patients may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose. Some people may have a preference for the vaccine type that they originally received, while others may prefer to get a different booster. CDC’s recommendations now allow for this type of mix and match dosing for booster shots. If you have questions as to which booster to receive, RICHD recommends you have a discussion with your medical provider or consult reliable and trusted sources.
The health department also is continuing to give Pfizer and Moderna booster shots for immunocompromised people. They can be given four weeks after the second dose. The health department’s Moderna clinic is weekly on Tuesday.
Masks are required at the health department, and social distancing guidelines will be enforced, which could require lining up outside.
These third and fourth shots only apply to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.
To get a copy of your shot record:
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is launching a new immunization portal, Vax Verify, that will allow Illinois residents 18 years and older to check their COVID-19 vaccination record. Vax Verify can be accessed at
https://idphportal.illinois.gov
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Vaccine basics and reminders
What is my second dose optimal window?
Pfizer is 21-42 days and Moderna is 28-42 days. If you miss your second dose optimal window, get your second dose as soon as possible. You must receive the same brand of vaccine for your second dose.
Why must I get a second dose?
The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are a two-dose series. The first doses primes your body to fight the virus. The second dose gives your body an antibody boost that makes immunity last longer. Until you get your second dose, you remain at risk of being infected with the virus.
Is there a cost to getting the vaccine?
There is no cost to you to receive the vaccine. Some providers may ask for your insurance card, but there is no out-of-pocket cost to you. You can be vaccinated even if you don’t have insurance. The federal government has paid for the vaccine.
Why is my vaccination cards so important to keep?
You must bring it to your second-dose appointment, no matter where you receive your dose. This is how your vaccine provider will confirm what vaccine to give you. We suggest keeping it in a safe place, such as where you keep your Social Security card, passport and other important documents. We do not suggest laminating them, but you should make a copy.
What identification is needed?
You may be asked for proof of identification with a photo. Driver’s license is a typical form of ID. Any government-issued ID will be accepted as well, including a Temporary Visitor Driver’s License, a consular ID, or a domestic or foreign passport. Not having identification will not be a barrier to getting vaccinated.
What if I am not an American citizen?
Any person 16 and older, regardless of immigration status, can and should be vaccinated. No immigration status questions will be asked. Your information is confidential. Information collected is for follow-up purposes only and to record which vaccine you received. Vaccine providers may not share your information with ICE or any other immigration official. No immigration status or Social Security number is required.
What are the authorized ages for vaccines?
Pfizer can be given to people 12 and older. Moderna can be given to people 18 and older.
Why do I still need a mask in public?
Illinois remains under a mask mandate. The general rule is to wear a mask when you can’t distance yourself more than 6 feet from others outside of your household, especially indoors. If you are fully vaccinated (two weeks past second dose) you can take off your mask when you are around other fully vaccinated people, even indoors. When you are in public, you need to wear your mask until the vast majority of the public is fully vaccinated. This is called herd immunity. Getting as close to herd immunity as possible is what will get us out of this pandemic.
Why should I get vaccinated?
The vaccine protects you, your family and your community from this deadly virus. The vaccine has been shown to inhibit transmission, which keeps the virus from infected more people. The more people who have been vaccinated makes all of us safer from the virus, even those who are too young to be vaccinated. This is called herd immunity. Even if we don’t reach the yet-to-be-known herd immunity threshold, having more people vaccinated will make it less likely that the virus will be circulating in our community.
How do I know the vaccines are safe and effective?
Scientists determine the safety and efficacy of a vaccine through regimented clinical trials, which typically are done in three phases with a growing number of participants. None of these steps were skipped in the development of any of the COVID-19 vaccines. The vaccines became available faster because scientists had a head start in their development because of vaccine work during a previous and very similar coronavirus outbreak (SARS-CoV) that, thankfully, did not develop into a pandemic. Ongoing scientific development led to a new method for a vaccine delivery method with messenger RNA, or mRNA.
Can pregnant women get the vaccine?
Yes, if you are pregnant, you can receive a COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19 vaccination for people who are pregnant has potential benefits for both the pregnant person and the developing baby. Preliminary findings in scientific studies did not show obvious safety concerns among pregnant people who received mRNA vaccines.
Do both doses of the vaccine have to come from the same vaccine?
Yes, both doses must be of the same vaccine. The vaccines cannot be interchanged. As individuals are given their first dose of vaccine, the vaccine manufacturer and other information is recorded in the state’s immunization registry for future use.
What reaction should I expect after getting the vaccine?
The vaccine does not cause someone to get sick with COVID-19. Vaccines teach our immune systems how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19. Sometimes this process can cause symptoms, such as a sore arm, headache, chills or fever. These symptoms are normal and are signs the body is building immunity.
You can expect side effects to go away without complication or injury within about a day or two. Remember, these are signs that your immune system is responding to the vaccine and building immunity.
I already had COVID-19, should I still get the vaccine?Not enough is known about how long natural immunity lasts for those that have recovered from the virus. The CDC is still learning more about natural immunity to COVID-19. The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will make recommendations to CDC on who should get a COVID-19 vaccine.
The vaccine can increase your protection from the virus.
I’m healthy. Why do I need to be vaccinated?
While you may be healthy, many individuals in our community have risk factors for getting serious complications from COVID-19 infection. Getting a COVID-19 vaccination protects you so you may protect others around you as well.
I’m nervous about getting the vaccine. What should I do?
It’s normal to be nervous about something new and to have questions. We encourage you to ask questions and get answers to your questions from reliable sources. We recommend looking for information from the CDC, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), both state health departments, and our local health departments.
As it gets closer to the time when the vaccine may be available for you, your healthcare provider will also be a great resource to talk with about the COVID-19 vaccine.
What can you tell us about the new method of vaccine being used, called mRNA vaccines? (MODERNA & PFIZER)
They cannot give someone COVID-19.
mRNA vaccines do not use the live virus that causes COVID-19.
They do not affect or interact with our DNA in any way.
mRNA stimulates the body’s cells to produce a protein that looks like the COVID virus to our immune system. This kickstarts the product of antibodies that fight the actual virus.
mRNA never enters the nucleus of the cell, which is where our DNA (genetic material) is kept.
The cell breaks down and gets rid of the mRNA soon after it does its job.
Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine
Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the Pfizer-Biontech COVID-19 Vaccine
Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine
Ways to register for vaccine:
- Hy-Vee: https://www.hy-vee.com/my-pharmacy/covid-vaccine-consent
- Walgreens: https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/vaccination/covid-19
- Jewel Osco: albertsons.com/covidclinic
- Community Health Care: Complete form on CHCQCA.org
Sources for these answers
- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/faq.html
- https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq
- https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/resources/general-resources/frequently-asked-questions+covid-19-vaccine
COVID MEDIA RELEASES
Second Booster Media Release 3-30-22
COVID-19 – Updated list of where people can get kids 5-11 vaccinated for COVID-19
For County Level COVID-19 Risk Metrics, visit www.dph.illinois.gov/countymetrics
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) in coordination with the Illinois Poison Control Center have launched the Illinois COVID-19 Hotline and email address to answer questions clinicians and the general public may have regarding COVID-19.
Illinoisans can dial 1-800-889-3931 twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week or email DPH.SICK@ILLINOIS.GOV to get their questions answered.
More information
- https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/restore-illinois-mitigation-plan
- https://www.scottcountyiowa.gov/health/post/do-masks-prevent-covid-19
- TogetherQC.com
- iowa.gov
- https://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19
- https://www.dph.illinois.gov/regionmetrics?regionID=2
- https://www.dph.illinois.gov/countymetrics?county=Rock%20Island
- https://www2.illinois.gov/idoc/facilities/Pages/Covid19Response.aspx
- https://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19/long-term-care-facility-outbreaks-covid-19
- CDC COVID-19 webpage
- What is COVID-19? Guidance for Work Crews (Migrant Farm Workers -English)
- Que es COVID-19? Guidance for Work Crews (Migrant Farm Workers – Spanish)
- Quad City Behavioral Health Coalition COVID-19 Service List
- HOW DO MASKS HELP (Click to read)?
Other important news from the WIC office: WIC is not affected by recent Federal public benefit policy. Click here for more information: WICpublicchargeFAQ013120
WIC is here for you during COVID-19 (English)
WIC is here for you during COVID-19 (Spanish)
About the Rock Island County Health Department
Rock Island County Health Department prevents disease, promotes wellness of mind and body, protects public health and prepares for emergencies. To learn more visit or call us at 309-793-1955.