University Health Services is vaccinating eligible members of the campus community under Wisconsin’s COVID-19 vaccination program. The university is committed to distributing vaccines to our community equitably, safely and effectively. All individuals are encouraged to seek the vaccine as they become eligible, though the vaccine is not currently mandatory.
Learn more about the vaccines we’re currently administering, and watch for more information at the COVID-19 Response website.
Vaccine Distribution
Eligibility
As of March 1, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services is expanding vaccine eligibility to more people in the state. In Wisconsin, as in most of the rest of the U.S., vaccine supply remains limited and early on, there will be far more people eligible than there are vaccines to provide.
Eligible groups beginning March 1 include:
- Childcare and education (including campus child care centers and faculty and staff in higher education settings who have direct student contact, including teaching assistants);
- People enrolled in Medicaid long-term care programs;
- Some public-facing essential workers (food supply chain, utilities and infrastructure workers, etc.);
- Non-frontline health care essential personnel;
- Facility staff and residents in congregate living settings (not including university residence halls or co-op housing)
Previously eligible individuals on campus include employees and students who:
- serve direct patient care roles;
- have direct exposure to the virus or virus samples;
- are active members of campus age 65 and older;
- are employed by University Police
For more information and state FAQs about vaccine eligibility, visit: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/vaccine-about.htm
Availability
UHS will only be able to offer appointments as vaccine is available, and some eligible groups may be offered vaccines before others following DHS and local public health guidance.
At this time, we are unable to provide specific dates regarding vaccine availability, but UHS will send emails to eligible individuals as soon as possible. Please watch your wisc.edu email and continue to look for updates at
https://covidresponse.wisc.edu.
You may also seek the vaccine through a health care or community provider.
About the vaccines
Moderna
The Moderna vaccine must be administered in two doses separated by 28 days. While some people will not have any side effects from the vaccine, others may experience symptoms such as headache and mild fever. For more information about these side effects and to read more FAQs, visit: fda.gov/media/144638/download
Pfizer
The Pfizer vaccine must be administered in two doses separated by 21 days. While some people will not have any side effects from the vaccine, others may experience symptoms such as headache and mild fever. For more information about these side effects and to read more FAQs, visit: fda.gov/media/144414/download
For AstraZeneca vaccine research trial participants
If you are enrolled in the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine research trial and are offered or are considering Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, you can contact the research team with your questions. The research team will unblind you ahead of time to let you know if you received the actual vaccine or placebo injection. Contact the Office of Clinical Trials at 608-265-6507 or refer to the business card in your trial folder.
- Per Dr. Fauci of the National Institutes of Health, there are no known risks to mixing the different brands but there is no data yet available to support this assumption.
- It is uncertain if there are advantages to receiving the Pfizer/Moderna vaccines in addition to the AstraZeneca vaccine. While the Pfizer/Moderna vaccines offer enhanced protection against acquiring COVID-19, all of the vaccines are extremely effective against severe disease and hospitalization.
Will I test positive for COVID because I’ve been vaccinated?
No, the test for COVID-19 looks for several signatures of the virus that are not present in the vaccine.
What to expect after getting a COVID-19 vaccine
COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you from getting COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccines that require two shots may not protect you until a week or two after your second shot. You may have some side effects— which are normal signs that your body is building protection—but they should go away in a few days.
After dose #1
- Schedule your second dose appointment in MyUHS.
Choose “Appointments” in the left-side menu. Be sure to select Dose 2. - Enroll in V-Safe, a federal government app-based program that monitors COVID-19 vaccine-related side effects. It sends a daily text reminder and takes less than one minute to enroll.
- Take it easy. You will likely have some arm pain (most people do!).
After Dose #2
- Keep filling out your V-Safe.
- Take it easy – again! Some people report more significant symptoms with the second dose.
- Practice logging in to the Wisconsin Immunization Registry to verify your COVID-19 immunization status (in case you ever misplace your vaccine card).
After both doses
- Continue to wear a face covering
- Wash your hand
- Maintain physical distance. At least seventy percent of the community needs to be vaccinated before we begin to achieve ‘herd immunity.’ This is still several months away.
- Continue being tested regularly
You may experience one or more of these side effects after receiving your first dose, your second dose, or both. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses in order for them to work. Get the second shot even if you have side effects after the first, unless a health care provider tells you not to get a second shot.
Side effects
- Pain or swelling on the arm where you got the shot
- Fever
- Chills
- Tiredness
- Headache
Reduce pain or discomfort
- Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen
- Drink plenty of fluids
- Apply a clean, cool wet washcloth to your arm
- Use or exercise your arm
When to call a health care provider
In most cases, discomfort from fever or pain is normal. Contact your doctor or healthcare provider if:
- The redness or tenderness where you got the shot increases after 24 hours
- Side effects are worrying you or do not seem to be going away after a few days
Parking Instructions
Parking is available without cost for those coming to be vaccinated by University Health Services (UHS) at the Nicholas Recreation Center (“the Nick”).
Lot 46 (Lake & Johnson Garage) is a gated facility. Pull a ticket to enter the lot and pick up a validation at the vaccination check-in table to cover the cost of parking when you exit the lot. Vaccination site parking is only accessible from Lot 46’s Frances Street entrance. Access is NOT available from the Lake Street entrance. The lot clearance height is 6 feet 8 inches.
Pull a ticket at the Frances Street entrance to enter the lot and proceed up the ramp (west, toward Lake Street) to reach the reserved parking stalls. ONLY PARK IN DESIGNATED STALLS. Regular parking rules apply if you park in areas other than the designated stalls, and you may be subject to citation and/or payment of any associated fees.
ADA parking is available in signed ADA stalls with a valid DOT plate/placard. Please note: Lot 46 is located two city blocks north and a half-block east of the Nicholas Recreation Center. Eleven ADA stalls are available on the first floor after using the Lot 46 Frances Street entrance, six stalls on the east and five stalls on the west near the turn to ascend to Floor 2. However, closer ADA stall options are available in surface lot 48 (120 East Campus Mall) behind Ogg Residence Hall. Two ADA stalls are located on the west side of Lot 48. (Please do not park in the COVID-19 Testing reserved stalls.)
The entrance to The Nick is ADA accessible. Those needing an ADA accessible exit can use the same entrance from which they entered.