COVID-19 Vaccine

At Allied Services, we share your excitement about the COVID-19 vaccine's arrival and we are honored to play a role in helping to protect and care for our community.

Since the arrival of the first vaccines at Allied Services, we have been prioritizing staff and residents as well as medical providers in our community. As more vaccines become available to us, we will continue to provide vaccines according to the PA DOH’s roll-out plan.

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If you have been successful and received an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccination with another provider, we strongly encourage you to keep that appointment and receive your first and second vaccination shot with that provider. If you have an appointment to be vaccinated by another provider you can remove yourself from our waiting list using the form below.

REMOVE ME FROM YOUR WAITING LIST

Allied Services is currently providing vaccines to:

• Allied Services employees and PHASE 1A healthcare personnel
• Persons ages 65 and older
• Persons ages 16-64 with high risk conditions

PLEASE NOTE: Although Allied Services has requested vaccine supplies to begin vaccinating the community, our supply continues to be very limited and unpredictable. We currently do not have any supply of the vaccine and are not scheduling community vaccination appointments.

Allied Services is able to offer the Moderna vaccine. To learn more about the Moderna vaccine, its safety, efficacy and possible side effects please refer to the Center for Disease Control’s resources.

We understand that many of you are eager to be vaccinated. We ask for your patience and cooperation as we seek to schedule vaccinations and answer your enquiries. This is a time-consuming process, but we are committed to vaccinating as many members of our community as we can with the vaccine supply that is made available to us. The vaccine is still in extremely limited supply. Allied Services receives vaccines supply as an allocation directly from the PA Department of Health (PA DOH) based on their discretion.

Who are you vaccinating at Allied Services?

Here at Allied Services, Moderna vaccination will be made available to:

• Allied Services employees
• Medical personnel who qualify as part of the state's Phase 1A
• People age 65 and up
• People age 16–64 with high-risk medical conditions including:
  • Cancer
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
  • Down syndrome
  • Heart conditions (e.g., heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy)
  • Weakened immune system (from solid organ/bone/blood marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids or other immunity-weakening medications)
  • Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of ≥30 kg/m2) or severe obesity (BMI ≥40 kg/m²)
  • Pregnancy
  • Sickle cell disease
  • Smoking
  • Type 2 diabetes

This may also include people age 16–64 with the following conditions that might put them at a higher risk, like:

• Asthma
• Cystic fibrosis
• High blood pressure
• Liver disease
• Neurologic conditions, like dementia
• Overweight (BMI >25 kg/m²)
• Type 1 diabetes

For a complete list of conditions, visit the PA DOH or the CDC.

If you're not sure whether or not you are eligible to be vaccinated, we encourage you to use the Pennsylvania Department of Health's eligibility tool.

When can I get vaccinated?

We are prioritizing vaccinations according to guidance from the PA DOH and as quickly as our supply and logistics allow. We’ll continue to prioritize vaccinating our employees and community members in line with PA DOH guidelines.

If you're not sure whether or not you are eligible to be vaccinated, we encourage you to use the Pennsylvania Department of Health's eligibility tool. If you are eligible under PHASE 1A of the PA Department of Health’s guidelines, you may be placed on a waiting list.

To be placed on the waiting list, please complete this short form. You will be contacted once vaccine supplies become available.

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FAQs: What you need to know about getting vaccinated

Q: Will the COVID-19 vaccine prevent me from getting COVID-19?

A: Vaccines greatly reduce the chance of becoming infected with a virus. In clinical trials (studies), the two currently available vaccines were about 95% effective at preventing the virus. If you do get infected with COVID-19 after receiving the vaccine, vaccines can help your body fight the infection and reduce the severity of the disease. Remember, even with a COVID-19 vaccine, you will need to continue wearing a face mask and practicing physical distancing.

Q: Can I get COVID-19 from the vaccine, or expose my family to the COVID-19 virus?

A: No. Because the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines do not contain virus and cannot infect the vaccinated person, the vaccine itself cannot transmit the virus to the individual receiving the vaccine or to those around them.

However, it typically takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity after vaccination. Importantly, you could become infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 from external sources (NOT from the vaccine), shortly before or after vaccination and get sick because the vaccine has not had enough time to provide protection.

If you have symptoms not commonly seen after the vaccine, (such as shortness of breath, cough, loss of taste/smell, sore throat, runny nose) or a temperature higher than 100.4° F, you should contact your personal physician.

Q. Should I get the vaccine if I have a history of allergic reactions?

A: If you have a history of severe allergic reactions to vaccines, talk with your doctor before receiving the vaccine.

Q. Can I get the vaccine if I am not feeling well?

A: If you are not feeling well, it is recommended that you wait until you are feeling better to get the vaccine.

Q. How many doses will be needed?

A: Two shots are needed to provide the complete protection. The first one primes the immune system, helping it to recognize the virus, and the second one strengthens the immune system. You will need to receive the second dose at the same location you receive the first.

Q. What can I expect during my vaccination appointment?

A: Please arrive at the exact time indicated on your scheduled appointment to help us maintain social distancing. You’ll receive information about the vaccine and its emergency use authorization, potential side effects and prevention protocols after your vaccination. We’ll also give you documentation that you received the vaccine — make sure to keep this while waiting for your second dose. Even after you’ve received a vaccine, you must still continue preventive best practices like hand-washing, masking and physical distancing.

Q. What are common side effects of the vaccine?

A: Side effects are like other vaccines. The most common side effects are pain/redness at the injection site, headaches, fatigue, muscle/joint aches and low-grade fever. Most side effects last less than 24 hours.

Q: I had COVID-19. Why must I wait 10 days before I get the COVID-19 vaccine?

A: For the safety and protection of our staff and patients, and in accordance with guidelines, you should quarantine for 10 days once you have tested positive for the virus and 20 days from testing if you were hospitalized due to COVID-19,

Q. Once I’ve been vaccinated, do I need to continue to wear a mask and practice social distancing?

A: Yes. While experts learn more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide under real-life conditions, it will be important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to us to help stop this pandemic, like covering your mouth and nose with a mask, washing hands often, and staying at least 6 feet away from others. Experts need to understand more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide before deciding to change recommendations on steps everyone should take to slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.