After more than three years of facing the COVID-19 pandemic head-on, Unity wants to remind our patients and community that the future of this disease remains uncertain. There is still a risk of contracting the virus for those who are unvaccinated, people age 65 and over, and those with chronic medical conditions or immunosuppressed. 

We strongly recommend vaccination, including boosters, for all those eligible. As a healthcare organization, we continue to require masks in our facilities. We offer access to testing, including take-home rapid test kits and medications to decrease our patients' risk of severe disease.

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Don't delay! Get the vaccine today. The vaccine is our best chance to protect the health of our loved ones and community. COVID-19 vaccinations can significantly slow the surges in cases and spread and dramatically decrease severe risks for anyone who contracts COVID-19, including the Delta variant of the virus.

Unity patients ages 5 and up, can make an appointment online here.  

You can also call 202-469-4699 to schedule your vaccine appointment.

 

Please note:

Children ages 5-17 will receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

Adults ages 18 and up will receive the Moderna vaccine.

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The Pfizer booster is now available to adolescents 5 & up! Booster shots are available in our vaccine clinic by appointment (click here to schedule online) and during scheduled visits with a primary care provider. You can also call 202-469-4699 to make an appointment!

When to get a booster:

If you received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, you may get a booster at least 5 months after completing your primary COVID-19 vaccination series.

If you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you may get a booster at least 2 months after your initial vaccine shot.

If you received Pfizer or Moderna:

You should get a booster if you are:

• Ages 50 years and older
• Ages 18 years and older and live in a long-term care setting.

You may get a booster if you are:

• Ages 18 years and older

If you received a Johnson & Johnson's Janssen:

You should get a booster if you are:

• 18 years or older
  

Why should you get a booster?

Vaccines work really well to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death, even against the Delta variant. But public health experts are starting to see reduced protection, especially among certain populations, against mild and moderate diseases.

Which booster should you get?

You can choose which COVID-19 vaccine to get as a booster shot. You may prefer to get the same vaccine that you originally received, or you may choose to get a different booster.

 

Which booster shots are available at Unity?

Unity Health Care currently offers Moderna and Johnson & Johnson for adults.

 

How can I schedule an appointment for a booster shot?

Unity patients who are eligible for a booster shot can schedule an appointment by calling 202-469-4699, requesting an appointment on the Patient Portal, or by directly scheduling on our website.

In addition, patients ages 18 and older with upcoming visits may be offered a booster shot to be given during a scheduled visit with a medical provider.

I am a Unity patient who didn’t get my primary vaccine series at Unity. Can I get my booster shot Unity?

Yes! Please bring your vaccination card or proof of vaccination to your appointment. Your vaccination card should include the date you received your vaccine dose(s), and where you received it.

 

What is the difference between an additional dose and a booster dose?

The CDC now recommends that people whose immune systems are moderately to severely compromised should receive a third dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine.

The additional shot should be given at least 28 days after a second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. The third dose should be the vaccine that was used for the first two shots.  

 

Who is considered moderately to severely immunocompromised? 

• 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 the immune response

Unity patients that received the Moderna vaccine and met one or more of the conditions above, can schedule a third dose by calling 202-469-4699, requesting an appointment through the Patient Portal, or using the online appointment tool.

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Need more information on vaccines? Click here.

Want to learn more about booster shots? Click here.