COVID-19 vaccines help protect you from getting COVID-19. Millions of people in the US have received
COVID-19 vaccines in recent months. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. CDC recommends that people
with disabilities get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is available to them.
Having a disability alone does not mean someone is at higher risk of getting COVID-19. However, many people
with disabilities have certain health conditions that can place them at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19
Some of these conditions are obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. In addition, someone may be at
higher risk because of where they live, such as a group or long-term care home. People might also be at higher
risk if they are in close contact with care providers, or if they have difficulty following prevention recommendations,
like wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet away from others, avoiding crowds or poorly ventilated spaces, and
washing their hands. Talk to your doctor about your health conditions that might put you at higher risk for getting
very sick from COVID-19 and about getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
It is important that people with disabilities get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is available to them. Each state
has a vaccination plan in place to give COVID-19 vaccines in phases. Some states include people with disabilities in
the earliest phases. You or your care provider can contact your state health department to ask about when the
vaccine will be available to you and how to sign up for an appointment to be vaccinated.
Family caregivers or care providers assisting someone with a disability with day-to-day activities may be
considered an essential worker in their state’s vaccination plan. Essential workers can get COVID-19 vaccines in
earlier phases. Also, some states allow family caregivers and care providers to get vaccinated at the same
time as the person they assist. Contact your state health department to find out if you are considered an
essential worker or if you can receive a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as the person you provide care for.
When you go to get your vaccine, be sure to follow all prevention recommendations, like wearing a mask,
staying at least 6 feet away from others, avoiding crowds or poorly ventilated spaces, and washing your hands.
After getting a COVID-19 vaccine, you should receive a vaccination record card that tells you what vaccine you
received, the date you received it, and where you received it. All people who get a COVID-19 vaccine will be
monitored on site for 15 minutes after receiving the vaccine. Some COVID-19 vaccines require 2 doses. If a
second shot is needed, make an appointment for the appropriate date and time. For scheduling assistance,
contact the location that set up your first appointment or call your local health department. If you have a
caregiver, this person might be able to help you schedule your appointment.
COVID-19 vaccines commonly cause symptoms like pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site, fever, chills,
, tiredness, or headache. These side effects may affect your ability to do daily activities but should go away in a
few days. Contact your doctor if your side effects are worrying you or do not seem to be going away
after a few days. And even after you are vaccinated, follow current CDC and health department guidelines on wearing
a mask, physical distancing, avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces, and washing your hands often.
CDC has resources available on COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines that are easy to read, for people with
limited English, and in American Sign Language. There are also resources in other formats like braille.
For more ASL videos, go to CDC’s YouTube channel.