About our Pharmacy
Can I get a COVID-19 vaccine at my local store?
Yes, Safeway is part of the CDC’s Federal Pharmacy Partnership program. Currently, all of our stores with pharmacies have COVID-19 vaccine supply.
How can I make an appointment for the vaccine?
If you are eligible and your store has supply, you may schedule an appointment here. Alternatively, all of our loations are taking walk-ins.
If there are no available appointments, please continue to check our website. Note that our pharmacists do not have access to appointments that are not available on our webpage.
Who will administer the vaccine?
The COVID-19 vaccine will be administered in accordance with state law and federal guidance by our pharmacists, pharmacy interns, and technicians.
Do I have to wear a mask to get the vaccine at Safeway?
Yes, the CDC recommends wearing a face covering until you are fully vaccinated. We require customers across all of our locations to wear face coverings until fully vaccinated, or regardless of vaccination status in areas with high COVID-19 transmission or where required by state or local regulations.
How do I reschedule or cancel my appointment?
If you received a confirmation email, select "Scheduling Control". If you received a confirmation text, click on the link.
You can cancel your appointment or select another available date and time. If you need to change locations, please cancel your appointment and schedule a new appointment by selecting the “Two Dose COVID Vaccine Appt- Dose 2” option.
How do I schedule my second dose?
If the vaccine you received requires a second dose, you will schedule that after you’ve received your first dose. A follow-up email or text message will be sent to you shortly after your dose 1 appointment time has passed. Follow the prompts to schedule your dose 2 appointment.
About COVID-19 Vaccine
Is the vaccine free?
Yes, vaccine doses purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars will be administered to patients with no out-of-pocket cost.
Please bring proof of insurance to your appointment, including any Medicare, Medicaid, pharmacy, and medical cards. If you do not have insurance, please bring state identification/driver’s license (if available).
How many doses is the COVID-19 vaccine?
The number of doses depends on which COVID-19 vaccine you receive. The Janssen vaccine by Johnson & Johnson is a single dose. The Moderna vaccine is 2 doses separated by 28 days. The Pfizer vaccine is 2 doses separated by 21 days. A series started with one product must be completed with the same product. For a third shot, or additional dose, the CDC recommends that the brand be the same, unless the same brand is not available, then interchangeability can occur between products, subject to state restrictions.
Do I need a COVID-19 vaccine booster?
At this time, COVID-19 vaccine boosters are not recommended by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the Advisory Committee of Immunization Practices. This applies to all versions of the COVID-19 vaccine: Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.
Is an additional third dose a booster shot?
Additional dose is a term used for patients who did not receive an adequate response to the initial series. Booster doses are for those who received full response but are now experiencing a natural waning of the vaccine effectiveness. At this time, COVID-19 vaccine boosters are not recommended by the CDC, FDA, or ACIP (Advisory Committee of Immunization Practices. This applies to all versions of the COVID-19 vaccine; Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.
Who can get a supplemental vaccine dose?
Pfizer and Moderna vaccine may be given as an additional, or third, dose to immunocompromised people, including those 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 2 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 or other drugs that may suppress your immune response
AND
- That did not receive J&J/Janssen vaccine as primary series
For more information on eligible groups, visit the CDC website.
What happens if I have an allergic reaction to the vaccine?
Our pharmacy staff are specially trained and prepared to react to severe adverse events like allergic reactions. You will be asked to wait for 15 to 30 minutes after the vaccine depending on your history of allergic reactions. You can learn more about COVID-19 vaccines and allergic reactions from the CDC.
Are there side effects associated with the vaccine?
Many people feel some flu-like side effects as a normal response after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Some common reactions are discomfort or swelling at the site of injection, fever, chills, tiredness, and headache. This may affect your ability to do daily activities, but should go away in a few days.
Get helpful tips on how to reduce discomfort after your vaccination from the CDC.
After you receive your vaccine, you can enroll in the v-safe program through the CDC, which provides personalized check-ins through text messaging and web surveys. Someone from the CDC may call to check on you based on your answers. Click here to enroll for v-safe.
If I have already had coronavirus, do I still need to be vaccinated?
Yes. Reinfection with COVID-19 is possible. Therefore, the CDC recommends vaccination even if you have had and recovered from COVID-19. If you were treated for COVID-19 symptoms with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, you should wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
After I get the vaccine, can I stop wearing a mask?
If you are not fully vaccinated and aged 2 or older, you should wear a mask in indoor public places. In general, you do not need to wear a mask in outdoor settings.
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.
Immunocompromised people should continue to take all precautions recommended for unvaccinated people, including wearing a well-fitted mask, until advised otherwise by their healthcare provider. Visit the CDC website for details about recommendations for fully vaccinated people.
Can I get my COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as other vaccines?
COVID-19 vaccines and other immunizations may now be administered without regard to timing. This includes administration of other vaccines on the same day or time as a COVID-19 vaccine.
Can children receive the COVID-19 vaccines?
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is currently authorized for people 12 years of age and older, while the Moderna and Janssen by Johnson & Johnson vaccines are authorized for people 18 years of age and older. Studies are currently being conducted to determine if the vaccine is safe and effective in younger age groups.
