Yes, Safeway is part of the federal program to receive the vaccines from the CDC.

If you are eligible, you will be able to schedule a vaccine appointment at Safeway for yourself and your family as early as January. Enter your email and phone number here to receive the latest updates on vaccine distribution timing and scheduling. 

The COVID-19 vaccine will be administered in accordance with state law and federal guidance by our pharmacists, pharmacy interns, and technicians. 

Yes, we require customers across all of our locations to wear face coverings when shopping with us, for their protection and for that of our associates.

Additionally, CDC recommends that during the pandemic people wear a mask that covers their nose and mouth when in contact with others outside your household, when in healthcare facilities, and when receiving any vaccine, including a COVID-19 vaccine.

The COVID-19 vaccine should be available for most adults in 2021.  Adults that fall into a higher risk category, as designated by the CDC, will have access to the vaccine before the general healthy public. 

Eligibility is determined by each state health department based on recommendations from the CDC. Healthcare personnel and residents of long-term care facilities are recommended to receive the first doses of COVID-19 vaccines as part of phase 1a. Frontline essential workers and people 75 years old and older are recommended as next in line to receive the vaccines in phase 1b. As vaccine availability increases, vaccination recommendations will expand to include more groups.

Yes, vaccine doses purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars will be given to the American people at no cost. However, vaccination providers will be able to charge an administration fee for giving the shot to someone. Vaccine providers can get this fee reimbursed by the patient’s public or private insurance company or, for uninsured patients, by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Provider Relief Fund. 

It is unlikely that a law would pass in the United States that that would require getting a COVID-19 vaccine.  It is possible that certain activities in the future, such as air travel, concert venues, etc., may require vaccination. 

Both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines are 2 doses separated by 28 or 21 days respectively. A series started with one product should be completed with the same product.

There is not enough information currently available to say if or for how long after infection someone is protected against getting COVID-19 again; this is called natural immunity. Early evidence suggests natural immunity from COVID-19 may not last very long, but more studies are needed to better understand this. Until a vaccine is available and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices makes recommendations to CDC on how to best use COVID-19 vaccines, CDC cannot comment on whether people who had COVID-19 should get a COVID-19 vaccine. 

The side effects from COVID-19 vaccinations may feel like the flu and might affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days. Learn more about what side effects to expect and get helpful tips on how to reduce pain and discomfort after your vaccination.

CDC is also implementing a new smartphone-based tool called v-safe to check in on people’s health after they receive a COVID-19 vaccine. When you receive your vaccine, you should also receive a v-safe information sheet telling you how to enroll in v-safe. If you enroll, you will receive regular text messages directing you to surveys where you can report any problems or adverse reactions you have after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

No. 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 slow virus spread, like covering your mouth and nose with a mask, washing hands often, and staying at least 6 feet away from others. Together, the COVID-19 vaccination and following the CDC’s recommendations for how to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from getting and spreading COVID-19. 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. Other factors, including how many people get vaccinated and how the virus is spreading in communities, will also affect this decision. 

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is currently indicated for people 16 years of age and older, while the Moderna vaccine is indicated for people 18 years of age and older. While neither COVID-19 vaccine is currently recommended for children, ACIP will continue to reevaluate data as it becomes available.