Our highest priority is keeping Arizonans healthy, safe, and economically secure. We’ll be posting news and information on coronavirus vaccines here and connecting Arizonans to credible sources to learn more about approved vaccines and the State of Arizona’s distribution plan.
JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINE: On April 13, 2021, the CDC and FDA jointly recommended a temporary pause in administering the COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson. During this temporary pause, the CDC and FDA will review data involving six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals who had received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. It is important to note that out of the 6.8 million Johnson & Johnson doses administered, there have been only six reported cases of potential blood clot complications.
People who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider. Health care providers are asked to report adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System at https://vaers.hhs.gov/reportevent.html.
Arizonans with vaccine appointments for the one-dose Johnson & Johnson shot should reach out to the vaccination site or make a new appointment on the Find Vaccine page HERE.
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Tell Me More About Vaccines: Want to learn more about the coronavirus vaccines? Check out this video from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and hear from experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci on why vaccines are so important and the steps scientists took to develop a safe and effective vaccine.
SCAM ALERT: Please be aware that scammers and fraudsters may take advantage of the public health emergency and the new coronavirus vaccines. Only approved vaccine providers in Arizona will be administering coronavirus vaccines. There is no way to pay to get early access to the vaccine, it is not sold online, and personal or health information should only be shared with trusted medical providers.
- More information on common scams can be found on the FBI’s website HERE.
- Helpful tips from AARP on scams targeting seniors can be found HERE.
Information on the phase each county is currently vaccinating, the number of doses ordered by each county, and location of vaccination sites can be found at azhealth.gov/findvaccine.
Arizonans: the fastest way to get assistance or information from our office is to email casework@sinema.senate.gov.
Updates:
December 11, 2020 - FDA issues an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for people 16 years of age and older. It is the first coronavirus vaccine to be approved in the United States.
- The FDA letter of authorization can be found HERE.
- The fact sheet for vaccine recipients and caregivers can be found HERE.
- This fact sheet in different languages can be found HERE.
- The fact sheet for health care providers can be found HERE.
December 18, 2020 - FDA issues an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) approval for the Moderna coronavirus vaccine for people 18 years and older. It is the second coronavirus vaccine to be approved in the United States.
- The FDA letter of authorization can be found HERE.
- The fact sheet for vaccine recipients and caregivers can be found HERE.
- This fact sheet in different languages can be found HERE.
- The fact sheet for health providers can be found HERE.
February 27, 2021 - FDA issues an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) approval for the Janssen Biotech (Johnson & Johnson) coronavirus vaccine for people 18 years and older. It is the third coronavirus vaccine to be approved in the United States, and the first single dose vaccine approved in the United States.
- The FDA letter of authorization can be found HERE.
- The fact sheet for vaccine recipients and caregivers can be found HERE.
- The fact sheet for health providers can be found HERE.
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ARIZONA STATE PLAN
The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and its Vaccine Task Force are responsible for the effective and efficient distribution of the coronavirus vaccine once it is approved by the FDA and distributed to states. Find out more information from ADHS HERE.
To read about the Arizona State Plan, (updated January 15, 2021) please click HERE.
To read about the state Vaccine Task Force’s recommendations (updated January 13, 2021), please click HERE.
Arizona’s distribution plan originally prioritized health care workers, residents of long-term care facilities, educators and other essential workers, those over the age of 75 and other vulnerable populations (such as those over the age of 65 or those with existing health conditions that put them in the CDC high-risk group). ADHS orders vaccine doses from the federal government, who directly ships the vaccine to those providing the vaccinations.
Beginning on March 24, 2021, ADHS will make vaccine registration at Arizona’s state-operated COVID-19 vaccination sites in Maricopa, Pima and Yuma counties open to all Arizonans 16 and older. Sites using the Pfizer vaccine, including those run by the state, can vaccinate those 16 and older. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccines, which are allocated to counties, are only approved for those 18 and older. More information about this new policy can be found HERE. More information about vaccination data (age, race/ethnicity, and gender) in Arizona can be found HERE.
ADHS now opens appointments at 11 a.m. each Friday for state-run vaccination sites using the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. Registration for the state-run sites is available at https://podvaccine.azdhs.gov/. Due to a high level of demand, appointments may fill quickly and the registration site may be hard to access. Those without computer access or needing extra help registering can call 1-844-542-8201 to be connected with someone who can assist. Due to a high level of demand, wait times may be long.
In addition, individuals creating an account on podvaccine.azdhs.gov/ can schedule an appointment on behalf of their loved ones through that account, which is recommended for those with older family members or family without access to a computer.
Counties and individual vaccination sites (including many retail pharmacies and community health centers) may continue to prioritize vaccine groups differently, so please check eligibility rules in your county or with the individual site. Information on the phase each county is currently vaccinating, the number of doses ordered by each county, and location of vaccination sites can be found at azhealth.gov/findvaccine. and HERE.
ADHS’ Pandemic Vaccine Provider Onboarding Tool was created to identify and enroll health care providers interested in serving as coronavirus vaccinators. ADHS also offers the Vaccine Management System Helpdesk Support to assist health care providers in using the registration system Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM at (602) 542-1000. Throughout Arizona, health care professionals including doctors, nurses, emergency medical technicians, pharmacists and other medical professionals are partnering to administer the vaccine.
Coronavirus Vaccination Sites Near You: ADHS has added a Find Vaccine page which lists covid vaccination sites by county and some sites have provided phone numbers and website links to register. Only those who fit their county's specific vaccination phase, schedule an appointment, and provide appropriate ID when they show up for their appointment will be vaccinated. Please be sure to check what phase your county is vaccinating to make sure you are eligible for the vaccine at this time on the Find Vaccine page HERE.
To find your county’s coronavirus website for county-specific information, please go HERE.
To learn more about the coronavirus vaccine and Arizona’s state plan, please visit the ADHS Coronavirus FAQ website HERE.
FOR ARIZONA VETERANS:
To get the latest updates and sign up to stay informed about COVID-19 vaccines, visit the VA’s vaccine information page. For questions about how COVID-19 may affect your VA health care and benefit services, visit the VA’s coronavirus FAQs or read VA’s public health response.
Veterans can also sign up to get vaccinated through their employer, pharmacy or local public health office. We encourage veterans and their families to take the first opportunity to get a COVID-19 vaccine
The SAVE LIVES Act, signed into law on March 24, 2021, prioritizes veterans receiving care at the VA for vaccination, and gives the VA the authority to provide vaccines to veterans normally not eligible for VA care and a broader population of caregivers, spouses, and family as supplies grow. It also urges the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to adjust VA’s vaccine allocation based on this increased eligibility pool, as much as the supply chain allows.
At this time, AZ VA Medical Centers still have a limited amount of vaccines and are working to determine how quickly they can begin to offer vaccines to these other groups.
In the meantime, Veterans, caregivers, spouses, and CHAMPVA beneficiaries newly eligible under the law can go to www.va.gov/covid-19-vaccine to register and indicate their interest in receiving a vaccine from VA. Signing up will also give users regular updates about VA’s vaccine rollout process.
Scam Alert: There have been reports of criminals and fraudsters targeting veterans. Some veterans may receive a call to ask for their interest in the coronavirus vaccine by someone claiming to be the VA. Callers may ask veterans to provide personal information such as their date of birth and full SSN. The VA will not ask for this information. At this time, the only national communication going out to patients is via email and information available on the official VA website: www.VA.gov
The VA has more information about coronavirus HERE.
Each VA Medical Center is following the VA’s coronavirus vaccine distribution plan, which can be found HERE.
DEVELOPING A SAFE & EFFECTIVE CORONAVIRUS VACCINE
The federal government, through Operation Warp Speed, has been working since the pandemic started to support the development of coronavirus vaccines. Operation Warp Speed is a partnership among components of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Defense to help develop, make, and distribute millions of coronavirus vaccine doses as quickly as possible, while ensuring that the vaccines are safe and that they work.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the federal agency responsible for protecting public health by ensuring the security of our nation's food supply, as well as the safety and efficacy of cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, biological products, and medical devices. The FDA will be responsible for evaluating the safety and effectiveness (how well vaccines protect against the virus or decrease the chances of serious illness) of vaccines before they are allowed to be given to people and patients.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been working closely with health departments and partners across the country to develop vaccination plans for when a vaccine is available. The federal government will oversee a centralized system to order, distribute, and track COVID-19 vaccines. All vaccines will be ordered through CDC. Vaccine providers will receive vaccines from CDC’s centralized distributor or directly from a vaccine manufacturer.
The federal government will be allocating approved coronavirus vaccines to states, based on availability and population. Each state is then responsible for prioritizing where the first doses will go, until supplies in the United States have built up enough to be widely available.
As coronavirus vaccines are authorized or approved in the United States, there may not be enough doses available for all adults right away. Supplies will increase over time, and all adults should be able to get vaccinated later in 2021. However, a coronavirus vaccine may not be available for young children or pregnant (or breastfeeding women) until more studies are completed.
Find out more information, visit the CDC vaccine FAQ website HERE.
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Federal coronavirus-response legislation: click HERE.
Specific actions Kyrsten is taking on behalf of Arizona: click HERE.
Visit our main resources page: sinema.senate.gov/corona.