Vaccine
updated 2/4/2022
To see the current vaccination progress in Rock County, visit the Rock County COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard or the Rock County COVID-19 Vaccine Map.
DHS Community-Based Vaccine Clinic in Rock County
Location: 1900 Center Avenue, Janesville, WI 53546
Appointments: Schedule at vaccinate.wi.gov or call 844-684-1064. Walk-ins are also accepted.
Hours: (effective 2/22/2022)
Tuesdays 11am – 5:00pm
Fridays 11am – 5:00pm
Saturdays 11am – 3:00pm
Other information:
Everyone age 5 and older are welcome.
Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Booster doses are available for anyone who qualifies.
You do not need to show identification or proof of residency.
The vaccine is free.
Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J are available.
Free rides are available by calling 211.
Rock County Public Health Department Vaccine Clinic
Location: 3328 North U.S Highway 51, Janesville, WI 53545
Hours:
Wednesday 3 PM - 7 PM
Other information:
Everyone age 5 and older are welcome.
Parental consent is required for minors under the age of 18.
Patients under the age of 11 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Booster doses are available for anyone who qualifies.
You do not need to show identification or proof of residency.
The vaccine is free.
This site has Pfizer only, but anyone who received Moderna or J&J for their original series can get Pfizer for their booster dose.
Free rides are available by calling 211.
Effective Monday, August 16th, 2021, all Rock County staff and visitors to County facilities will be required to wear masks
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why should I get a COVID-19 vaccine?
The vaccines protect you from getting COVID-19. Sometimes there are "breakthrough" cases, but the vaccine does protect those people from getting severely ill. Vaccinations will be key to getting us back to normal activities. They also help us protect those that aren't able to get vaccinated. It is ultimately up to each person to determine if getting the vaccine is the right choice for them. We encourage you to speak to your healthcare provider before making a decision.
Are the vaccines safe?
It seems like the vaccines were developed in record-breaking time, but scientists were actually building on decades of research. The COVID-19 vaccines went through the same clinical studies that other vaccines go through. During these studies, the vaccines were tested on thousands of people from different backgrounds and ethnicities. The FDA authorized these vaccines because they determined that they are safe and effective. The chance of having a severe reaction or side effect from a COVID-19 vaccine is extremely rare. Most people have a sore arm or flu-like symptoms that go away in a day or two.
How do we know if the vaccines work?
We know the vaccine is working because we are seeing a much smaller number of positive cases and hospitalizations among vaccinated people compared to unvaccinated people.
Are the COVID-19 vaccines free for everyone?
The COVID-19 vaccine is free of charge to all people living in the United States, regardless of their immigration or health insurance status.
If you have insurance your provider can file for a vaccine administration fee. If the insurance does not cover the full charge they cannot charge you for the balance of the bill.
Do I need identification or proof of residency to get a COVID-19 vaccine?
No. Providers cannot require you to show identification or proof of residency.
Who is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine?
Everyone age 5 and over is eligible regardless of immigration status.
Can kids under 16 get the vaccine?
Children aged 5 and up can safely receive the Pfizer vaccine.
How can I get a ride to my COVID-19 vaccine appointment?
Free rides to COVID-19 vaccine appointments are available in Rock County. Just call 2-1-1 to schedule.
Should I still get the vaccine if I already had COVID-19?
Yes, you should get vaccinated even if you already had COVID-19. At this point, we do not know how long natural immunity provides protection or whether it provides good protection from the variant strains of the virus. You are much better protected if you get vaccinated.
Is one COVID-19 vaccine better than others?
Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna (COVID-19 mRNA vaccines) are preferred. You may get Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine in some situations. If you are 5-17 years old, you can only get the Pfizer vaccine.
If I get Pfizer or Moderna, do I need to get the same one for the second dose?
You should get the same vaccine for your first and second doses. If you are immunocompromised and need an additional dose, that should also be from the same manufacturer. It is okay to get a different vaccine for your booster dose.
Am I eligible to get a booster shot?
Booster doses are recommended for anyone 12 and older.
Visit the CDC website for more information about when to get your booster dose.
To find a booster near you, please visit RockCountyShot.com, vaccines.gov, or call 211.
Do I need to get a booster dose to be considered fully vaccinated?
No, you are still considered fully vaccinated two weeks after completing the initial vaccine series, which is one dose for J&J or two doses for Pfizer or Moderna. However, to be considered up-to-date on your vaccination, you may need an additional dose if you are immunocompromised and/or a booster dose. See What are the recommendations for immunocompromised individuals? and Am I eligible to get a booster shot? Additional information is also available on the CDC website.
What is the difference between an additional dose and a booster dose?
The difference between an additional dose and a booster dose can be a little confusing. Additional doses and booster doses use the same vaccine as the original vaccine series. The main difference is the reason for getting the extra dose.
- The additional doses are for people with certain medical conditions or who are receiving certain treatments leaving them moderately or severely immunocompromised and who may not have built a strong enough immune response after their initial vaccine.
- A booster dose refers to another dose of a vaccine that is given to someone who built enough protection after their initial vaccination, but then that protection decreased over time—also referred to as waning immunity. Evidence suggests that immunity is waning over time for some people who were initially well-protected by the vaccine. For those people, a booster dose will strengthen and extend their protection against infection, serious illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19.
We encourage everyone to consult their health care provider to discuss the risks and benefits of additional and booster doses given their individual situation.
What are the recommendations for immunocompromised individuals?
An “additional dose” is recommended for certain immunocompromised people who may not have received adequate protection from their initial vaccine series. This includes people who have:
- Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood.
- Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system.
- Received a stem cell transplant within the last two years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system.
- Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome).
- Advanced or untreated HIV infection.
- Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids, alkylating agents, antimetabolites, transplant-related immunosuppressive drugs, cancer chemotherapeutic agents classified as severely immunosuppressive, tumor-necrosis (TNF) blockers, or other drugs that may suppress your immune response.
Booster doses are also recommended for people who are immunocompromised.
For more information about additional doses and booster doses for people who are immunocompromised, visit the CDC website.
You should talk to your health care provider to determine if you should get an additional or booster dose based on your individual situation. You should also ask if you need to pause your treatment or medication before or after getting an additional or booster dose of the vaccine. If you don't have a health care provider, call 211 or text COVID to 211-211. Language assistance is available.
Even though the additional dose and booster dose will be important to help prevent COVID-19 hospitalizations and death, immunocompromised people may still have a reduced immune response. This means it is still important for immunocompromised people to continue to follow current prevention measures (like wearing a mask and physical distancing) even after their additional mRNA COVID-19 vaccine dose and booster dose.
Will a covid-19 vaccine be required to travel?
Some destinations may require vaccination or COVID-19 testing. If you are planning a trip, it is best to check the requirements for your destination.
Can I visit my family after I am vaccinated for covid?
Once fully vaccinated you can visit inside a home or private setting without a mask with other fully vaccinated people of any age and visit inside a home or private setting without a mask with one household of unvaccinated people who are not at risk for severe illness.
Can I get a covid-19 vaccine in another city/state?
If you live, work or go to school in Wisconsin, you can get vaccinated anywhere in Wisconsin. Rules about eligibility can vary by state, so if you are out-of-state check with local officials.
Do the covid-19 vaccines affect fertility?
There is currently no evidence that any vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, cause fertility problems. If you are trying to become pregnant, you do not need to avoid pregnancy after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
Can you breastfeed after getting the covid-19 vaccine?
The COVID-19 vaccines authorized now are non-replicating vaccines, meaning they are able to create an immune response but do not reproduce inside host cells. Because non-replicating vaccines pose no risk for lactating people or their infants, COVID-19 vaccines are also thought to not be a risk to the breastfeeding infant. Therefore, lactating people may choose to be vaccinated. The CDC encourages all those who are breastfeeding to get vaccinated to protect themselves from COVID-19.
Can I get a COVID-19 vaccine if I am pregnant?
Pregnant women weren’t included in initial testing, but 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. In fact, the vaccination of pregnant people builds antibodies that might protect their babies. Pregnant and recently pregnant people are more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19 compared with non-pregnant people. The CDC encourages all pregnant people or people who are thinking about becoming pregnant and those breastfeeding to get vaccinated to protect themselves from COVID-19.
Can I take medicine with the covid-19 vaccine?
You should wait until after you get your COVID-19 vaccination to take an anti-inflammatory medication (including ibuprofen). If you take one before, there's a possibility that it could blunt the immune response to the vaccine.
What is the address of the DHS-CBVC-Rock?
The DHS Community-Based Vaccine Clinic in Rock County is located at 1900 Center Avenue, Janesville, WI 53546.
Do you have questions about COVID-19 or the vaccine?
Dr. Somaraju, a physician from Beloit Health Systems who specializes in infectious diseases gave a short presentation on our Facebook live on August 25th, 2021. CLICK HERE to watch a recording of her presentation. If you still have questions after watching this presentation, you can also submit a question for Dr. Somaraju.
¿Tiene preguntas sobre COVID-19 o la vacuna?
La Dra. Somaraju, una doctora del Beloit Health System quien se espcializa en endermedades infecciosas, hizo una breve presentacion en nuestro facebook en vivo el 25 de Agosto del 2021. HAGA CLIC AQUI para ver una grabacion de su presentacion. Si aun tiene preguntas despues de ver esta presentacion, tambien puede enviarle preguntas a la Dra. Somaraju.
