Vaccine FAQ

2/23/2021 - Gov. Beshear announced late yesterday that regional vaccination sites will open to Kentuckians in Phase 1C beginning March 1. This is a new development, and we are working to get more details from the Commonwealth. As we have more information, we will share an update with campus. Visit Kentucky’s vaccination website for more details on the regional vaccination sites.

While we do not have all the answers, NKU will be offering the COVID-19 vaccine on campus for faculty, staff and students.

We are monitoring the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s Draft COVID-19 Vaccination Plan and Updates to develop our distribution protocols and prioritization schedule. You can also go to the new KY Vaccine Survey website to see the different phases and vaccine locations. Please note that Kentucky’s plan will be updated on a regular basis, which might mean that we will have to modify our plan as well. At this point, here is what we know about the COVID-19 vaccination schedule:

NKU faculty and staff are part of Phase 1C.
Our licensed clinical healthcare faculty and staff who might be mobilized under the new crisis standards of care operations, and students who will have clinicals in healthcare settings have started receiving the vaccine through our healthcare partners (for example St. Elizabeth Healthcare).
NKU employees over the age of 70 and those who work in K-12 schools started receiving vaccines the week of January 18. Governor Beshear has stated that vaccines will be available through Kroger beginning February 1. Please see the KY Vaccine Survey website for information on eligibility and vaccine locations.
The remainder of NKU employees and students with underlying or preexisting health conditions (as defined by the CDC) will be able to get vaccinated. No details are known about the start date of Phase 1C vaccinations.
Students without underlying health conditions (as defined by CDC) will be able to get vaccinated according to when Phase 2 (over age 40) and Phase 3 (over age 16) vaccinations are available. At this point, we do not have a date when we can begin vaccinating those students.

We are currently developing a draft plan and a set of protocols for administering and distributing the vaccine in the most efficient manner possible. As the Commonwealth’s plan is updated, or we receive new guidelines and directives from the Biden administration, NKU’s vaccination plan will also evolve. We will share any updates through the Provost’s COVID weekly message. In the meantime, please remember to follow our Norse Nine principles.

Please email the Healthy Workplace Office committee with any questions at HWO@nku.edu.

Is the vaccine required for faculty, staff, and students?

No, the vaccine is not reguired though it is highly encouraged.

I do not live in Kentucky. How do I find out about vaccines in Ohio or Indiana?

Ohio Vaccine website

Indiana Vaccine website

Will I have to pay for my vaccine?

No. There is no charge for the vaccine which is provided by the federal government and NKU will not charge to administer the vaccine. There is no expense or billing through insurance.

Which vaccine will NKU be administering?

At this time we do not know which vaccine NKU will receive. Please visit the CDC vaccine information page to learn more about both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.

Does the vaccine mean that we can stop wearing masks and social distancing?

No. At this point, even though the vaccines are quite effective in preventing individuals from getting sick, it is not clear whether it prevents individuals from spreading the virus to others. Therefore, regardless of vaccination status, everyone will need to continue following CDC guidelines and Norse Nine guidelines to decrease the risk of spread. This includes wearing masks, physical distancing, limiting employee density, limiting travel, and maintaining procedures that limit close and sustained contact.

How is the vaccine being distributed to our state?

The federal government distributes the COVID-19 vaccine to each state based on its population. It is up to each state to coordinate the distribution within each state. Kentucky’s state vaccination plan can be found online, here. Phase 1C is due to start at the beginning of February, with Kroger offering the first sites for vaccination. Details for how to sign up to get vaccinated at a Kroger site are still forthcoming.

Where can my spouse, children, or other family members sign up to get vaccinated?

NKU will be receiving a limited number of vaccine doses and likely will not have the capacity to vaccine family members of university employees or students. We recommend that you visit the Northern Kentucky Health Department website for information on vaccine availability and eligibility.

What are the long-term side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine?

As COVID was only identified in December 2019 and these are new vaccines, the long term effects of the vaccines are unknown at this time.

What are the short-term side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine?

The most common side effect caused by the COVID vaccines include: (1) pain at the site where the vaccine was given, (2) headache, (3) fever, (4) chills or (5) muscle aches. Side effects are generally worse after receiving the second dose.

Will NKU pay me if I have side effects and am unable to work?

If you have side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine and are unable to work, you must remain home until the side effects subside. During this time, you may:

work from home (if able and approved by supervisor) or
use sick or vacation accruals or
be place on unpaid leave if all other leaves are exhausted

Please note: If an employee is absent for more than 7 days, they may be eligible for FMLA.

Would a PCR or rapid test be positive for Covid-19 after receiving the vaccine?

No. You will not test positive on nose, throat or saliva tests because of the vaccine. You may positively test if you have an antibody test from a blood test. Having positive antibodies to COVID-19 does not mean that you are infected with COVID-19. Antibody testing following the completion of the vaccine series is not recommended to confirm response to the vaccine.

Can someone get Covid-19 from the vaccine?

No, it is not possible to get Covid-19 from vaccines. Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 use inactivated virus, parts of the virus (e.g. the spike protein), or a gene from the virus. None of these can cause Covid-19.

I have already had Covid-19. Should I get the vaccine?

Vaccination should be offered to persons regardless of history of prior symptomatic or asymptomatic COVID-19 infection. Vaccination of persons with known current COVID-19 infection should be postponed until the person has recovered from the acute illness (if the person had symptoms) and criteria have been met for them to discontinue isolation. Additionally, while there is no recommended minimum interval between infection and vaccination, current evidence suggests that reinfection is uncommon in the 90 days after initial infection. Thus, persons with documented acute COVID-19 infection in the preceding 90 days may delay vaccination until near the end of this period, if desired.
NOTE: For those persons who previously received passive antibody therapy (e.g., Regeneron, Eli Lilly antibody therapy, monoclonal antibodies) for COVID-19: Vaccination should be deferred for at least 90 days afterward.

Source: Team KY Vaccine FAQs

How many doses of the vaccine do I need to receive?

How many doses you receive and when depends on which vaccine type you received. The vaccines currently availavle in Kentucky require two doses over a three or four week period.

What happens if I only get 1 dose of the vaccine?

Currently, there is few data regarding the efficacy of only receiving one dose of vaccine. These data suggest that the vaccine is only about 50% efficacious and it is not known how long its effects would like.

Will I need a booster dose?

Following the completion of the two-dose vaccine series, it is unknown if booster doses will be necessary.

How long will protection last following vaccination?

The duration of protection is currently unknown.

What information will be collected when I receive the Covid-19 vaccine?

The Kentucky Department of Health is the distributor all COVID-19 vaccines and requires information from each vaccine recipient including your name, date of birth, race and ethnicity.

Should I still get the flu vaccine?

Yes, it is very important to get the influenza vaccine, particularly this season when both influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2 will infect people.

However, you should not get a flu vaccine at the same time as a Covid-19 vaccine. According to the CDC, Covid-19 vaccines should be given alone with at least 14 days either before or after you get any other vaccines, including a flu vaccine. If you've recently recovered from COVID-19, or any other illness, wait at least 10 days after you are symptom-free to get your flu shot.

Vaccine FAQ

NKU uses cookies on this website