COVID-19 Vaccines Sign Up and Information

A:  VRAS is the Covid-19 vaccine registration portal.  It is an online scheduling tool to help individuals determine when they are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and help them schedule an appointment when it is their turn.  Find it at http://vaccinate.ne.gov/

A:  Individuals may register if they live or work in Nebraska. Out of state residents who work in Nebraska can register in Nebraska and receive the vaccine through their Nebraska Health Care Provider or by using the provider locator in the Portal.

A:  The Vaccine Registration Portal  is currently available in English and Spanish.  The Nebraska DHHS will consider expanding the language options as needed in the future.

A:  Individuals without computer or mobile phone access should first ask a friend or family member to help them. You also have the option to contact your Local Public Health Department or to call the NE State Vaccine hotline at 833-998-2275 or 531-249-1873 to register.

A:  Yes, the vaccination registration solution is web based, so it can be accessed using any device with internet access (computer, mobile phone, or tablet). 

A:  Anyone can register – even children.

A:  If you recently moved to Nebraska and you are now a Nebraska resident and you have not yet received the Covid-19 vaccine, you should use the portal to register.

A:  We recommend you receive the vaccine, even if you have already had COVID-19.

The protection someone gains from having an infection (called natural immunity) varies depending on the disease, and it varies from person to person. Since this virus is new, we do not know how long natural immunity might last.

The CDC reports that some early evidence suggests that natural immunity may not last very long. Getting the vaccine, even if you already had COVID-19, will help you protect yourself and others.

A:  In general, people are considered fully vaccinated: 

• 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
• 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine

If you don’t meet these requirements, you are NOT fully vaccinated. Keep taking all precautions until you are fully vaccinated.

If you have a condition or are taking medications that weaken your immune system, you may NOT be fully protected even if you are fully vaccinated. Talk to your healthcare provider. Even after vaccination, you may need to continue taking all precautions.

Fully vaccinated people can:

• Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
• Visit with unvaccinated people (including children) from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
• Participate in outdoor activities and recreation without a mask, except in certain crowded settings and venues
• Resume domestic travel and refrain from testing before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel
• Refrain from testing before leaving the United States for international travel (unless required by the destination) and refrain from self-quarantine after arriving back in the United States
• Refrain from testing following a known exposure, if asymptomatic, with some exceptions for specific settings
• Refrain from quarantine following a known exposure if asymptomatic
• Refrain from routine screening testing if asymptomatic and feasible
• For now, fully vaccinated people should continue to:
• Take precautions in indoor public settings like wearing a well-fitted mask
• Wear well-fitted masks when visiting indoors with unvaccinated people who are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease or who have an unvaccinated household member who is at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease
• Wear well-fitted masks when visiting indoors with unvaccinated people from multiple households
• Avoid indoor large-sized in-person gatherings
• Get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms
• Follow guidance issued by individual employers
• Follow CDC and health department travel requirements and recommendations

A:  Yes, upon completing the registration questionnaire, the portal will determine which phase you are eligible for.  When there is enough vaccine to move into that phase, you will be notified with an email containing a unique link to the scheduler in the Portal.

A:  Yes, the Portal will send an email for you to schedule your first and later your second dose appointments. If you do not schedule the appointment you will receive 3 reminders over a two-week period to schedule an appointment for your vaccination.

A:  You will receive an email for the first three days after receiving your vaccine that contains a link to report any adverse side effects of the vaccination.

A:  Yes, for vaccines that require more than 1 dose, patients who receive the first dose will have a second dose scheduling prompt and will receive a reminder through email.

A:  If the patient is scheduled through the portal and the provider cancels the appointment in the system, then yes, the patient will receive a cancelation email and a link to reschedule.

A:  The portal does not allow changes after the form is submitted.

If you made a mistake on your registration or need to update information, individuals will need to work with a vaccine provider who is working in the Vaccine system as they can open your record to make changes.  You can do this at the time of your first vaccination or before.

A:  You will be able to cancel or reschedule your appointment through the Portal. However, because these appointments are in high demand, we ask that you schedule carefully to avoid any potential conflicts.

A:  If you miss your appointment, you will have to reschedule and book another appointment at the next available time slot. As these time slots are high in demand, please remember to mark your calendars and set reminders to avoid missing appointments.

A:  Yes. You may register other members of your household by entering their individual information into the system. You may use the same email or phone number if all members of the household do not have their own. As appointments become available for each individual, they will be notified via email.

A:  The vaccines are safe and effective. The FDA has rigorous scientific and regulatory processes in place that ensure the safety, effectiveness, and quality of COVID-19 vaccines. Throughout the entire process, the vaccines were evaluated for their safety and efficacy. Individuals should feel confident in receiving the vaccines.

Both the Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer vaccine have been shown in late-stage vaccine trials to be safe and very effective - 94.5% and 95% effective, respectively. We encourage all individuals to receive the vaccine when it becomes available to them.

A:  No, the vaccine went through all the usual FDA-required assessments and regulatory processes.

With scientists and manufacturers around the world all focusing on combating COVID-19, parts of the vaccine production and manufacturing process were run concurrently. The FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine is as safe and effective as any other FDA-approved vaccine.

A:  As with all vaccines or any medication, there are chances of side effects. For updated information on common side effects, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/expect/after.html.  

A: If you are fully vaccinated, you can start doing many things that you had stopped doing because of the pandemic.

When choosing safer activities, consider how COVID-19 is spreading in your community, the number of people participating in the activity, and the location of the activity.

Outdoor visits and activities are safer than indoor activities, and fully vaccinated people can participate in some indoor events safely, without much risk.

If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, find a vaccine.