Vaccinating everyone in Fairfax County will require a tremendous amount of human resourcing and we have a specific need for vaccinators—nurses, pharmacists, pharmacy techs, physician assistants and nurse practitioners etc. Physician volunteers are also needed. Providers interested in administering COVID-19 Vaccines have two options.  

1. Enroll with VDH to become a COVID-19 Vaccinator at your office or clinic. For more information: Virginia Department of Health Healthcare Professionals.
2. Sign up as a vaccine volunteer.
   1. MRC (Medical Reserve Corps) – This volunteer program supports the local health department and local emergency response teams, COVID-19 Vaccine response is supported by the MRC.  
   2. Virginia Volunteer Vaccinator Registry Program – This registry is for providers who wish to only assist in administering COVID-19 Vaccine. Once the pandemic is over, there will be no ongoing volunteer opportunity here. Registration process and training for this program is streamlined. 

Currently, the redistribution of COVID-19 vaccine is being managed by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH).  

If you are already enrolled with VDH to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and completed the CDC Agreement, please review the information about the Small Shipment Redistribution Program at Virginia Department of Health Healthcare Professionals. 

If you are not enrolled with VDH to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, please enroll with VDH to become a COVID-19 Vaccinator at your office or clinic. For more information please visit the Virginia Department of Health Healthcare Professionals page.

The Virginia Department of Health received more than 4,800 Provider Intent forms. They are working through the backlog.  

If you have not heard from them and are still interested in becoming a vaccine provider, please contact: VIIS_Helpdesk@vdh.virginia.gov.

As of April 18, 2021, all individuals in the Fairfax Health District who are 12 or older are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

For information about making an appointment, including same day appointments, with the Health Department, please see COVID-19 Vaccination Appointment Scheduling.

Vaccine eligibility for health care providers' private patients must follow the same eligibility as specified by the Fairfax County Health Department. 

“Moderately to severely immunocompromised people” includes people with a range of conditions, such as recipients of organ or stem cell transplants, people with advanced or untreated HIV infection, active recipients of treatment for cancer, people who are taking some medications that weaken the immune system, and others. A full list of conditions and factors to consider for making this determination can be found in CDC’s clinical considerations guidance.

If an individual has questions about a third dose, they should talk to their healthcare provider about their medical condition, and whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for them. Additional information is also available from the CDC.

The Fairfax County Health Department is waiting for further guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Virginia Department of Health (VDH) regarding booster doses for the COVID-19 vaccine. Please see this statement from VDH. At this time, third doses (boosters) will continue to be provided solely to people with immunocompromised systems. 

** On April 23, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lifted their recommended pause on the use of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine, following the recommendation of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) that the vaccine should be cleared for use by all adults. **

There are currently three vaccines that are authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in the United States: 1) Pfizer-BioNTec COVID-19 vaccine,  2) Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and 3) Johnson & Johnson's Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. All three vaccines are extremely effective at preventing hospitalization or death from COVID-19.

Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses of the same vaccine from the same manufacturer and it will be important that your second dose match your first dose. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine only requires one dose. You will be provided with a vaccination card indicating the vaccine manufacturer.

The Virginia Department of Health has announced that it will begin offering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Fairfax County is currently evaluating how many Johnson & Johnson doses we will receive, how those doses will be given at our clinics, and how much vaccine will be distributed to our health partners. We will provide more information when it is available.

The Fairfax County Health Department is offering the COVID-19 vaccine with the confidence that the vaccine has satisfied the requirements to be issued Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Before the FDA granted the EUA, the safety and efficacy of these vaccines were reviewed by FDA scientific staff and by an independent panel of experts convened by the FDA. The CDC and the FDA will continue to monitor individuals who have received the vaccine to ensure there is no evidence of even rare safety issues. The vaccines were tested in large studies to include tens of thousands of people to make sure they met safety standards and protect people of different ages, races, and ethnicities. The study results showed that the vaccines’ benefits outweighed possible risks and provide protection from COVID-19.

Based on the positive safety and efficacy results of the vaccines used in thousands of people in clinical trials, Fairfax County Health Department strongly recommends that health care providers who are patient facing receive the vaccine to decrease their risk of contracting COVID-19 or developing severe disease. HCPs getting the vaccine may also decrease transmission of COVID to their patients and their families.

If you have specific medical questions about whether or not you should receive the vaccine, please contact your primary care provider.

Vaccine information sheets are available for COVID-19 vaccines from FDA. Additionally, the CDC has publicly available information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine at www.cdc.gov. Individuals can select to read information on the FDA website in additional languages.

It is recommended that you should still get the vaccine. Patients who had a PCR positive COVID-19 diagnosis in the last three months may consider delaying vaccination as they likely have natural immunity for at least 3 months. However, patients who had COVID-19 may be vaccinated any time after their isolation period ends and vaccination may boost their immunity.  It is important to note that regardless of a previous COVID-19 recovery or vaccination, individuals will still need to abide by the same health and safety protocols and continue to wear a mask and socially distance as recommended by the CDC and health department.

Read more at the CDC’s FAQ about COVID-19 Vaccination here.

No. The vaccine does not contain a live virus. It only contains a piece of the genetic code for the spike protein, which protects your body from the virus. It cannot give you COVID-19.

Yes. The CDC has given clear direction that individuals should still wear masks, stating “it will be important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to us to help stop this pandemic, like wearing masks, washing hands often, and social distancing.” The PPE guidance or isolation protocols should not be changed based on the provider’s or the patient’s vaccination status.

For more information about the CDC's recent guidance, please see: CDC Issues New Guidance for Fully-Vaccinated People

The CDC has provided guidance that, in many situations, someone who is fully vaccinated (more than 2 weeks after their second vaccine dose) would not need to quarantine if exposed to someone who has COVID-19. If you are identified as a close contact and have been vaccinated, a Health Department a contact tracing expert will let you know if you need to quarantine. See: What You Need to Know When You Get Vaccinated AND After You Get Vaccinated.

Additional information is also available at: When to Isolate and When to Quarantine.