About our Pharmacy
Will Tom Thumb offer the COVID-19 vaccine?
Yes, Tom Thumb is part of the federal program to receive the vaccines from the CDC.
When will my pharmacy have the vaccine?
We expect all our pharmacies to receive vaccine supply. Currently, supply is allocated by state and local health departments as well as the federal government. Stores may receive supply that is withheld from the general public in order to fulfill second dose appointments or for specific prioritized recipients specified by the state and local health department.
We kindly ask that you avoid calling your local store or pharmacy, as our teams are focused on serving patients. This pulls them away from this important service. You can contact your state or local health department for more information about the plan for COVID-19 vaccination in your area.
Can I schedule or make an appointment for the vaccination?
If you are eligible and your store has supply, you may schedule an appointment here.
Store supply is based on state and local health department, and allocation to our stores. If your store currently has no available appointments, please be patient. More will open as additional vaccines become available to us. We kindly ask that you avoid calling your local store, as our teams are focused on serving patients. This pulls them away from this important service.
Who will administer the vaccine?
The COVID-19 vaccine will be administered in accordance with state law and federal guidance by our pharmacists, pharmacy interns, and technicians.
Do I have to wear a mask to get the vaccine at Tom Thumb?
Yes, we require customers across all of our locations to wear face coverings when shopping with us, for their protection and for that of our associates.
Additionally, CDC recommends that during the pandemic people age 2 and older should wear masks in public settings and when around people who don't live in their household. This would include visiting a pharmacy or clinic to receive any vaccine, including the COVID-19 vaccine.
About COVID-19 Vaccine
Will the vaccine be offered to the general public?
Yes. The COVID-19 vaccine should be available to most adults this year. Adults that fall into a higher risk category, as designated by the CDC and state and local health departments, will have access to the vaccine before the general healthy public.
Who is currently eligible for the vaccine?
Eligibility is determined by state and local health departments based on recommendations from the CDC. Please check your state or health department website for prioritization criteria and timing.
Is the vaccine free?
Yes, vaccine doses purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars will be administered to patients with no out-of-pocket cost.
Please bring proof of insurance to your appointment, including any Medicare, Medicaid, pharmacy, and medical cards. If you do not have insurance, please bring state identification/driver’s license (if available).
How many doses is the COVID-19 vaccine?
Both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines require 2 doses. The Moderna doses are taken 28 days apart and the Pfizer doses are 21 days apart. Your first vaccination should be completed with a second vaccination of the same product.
If I have already had coronavirus, do I still need to be vaccinated?
Yes. Reinfection with COVID-19 is not common, but it is possible. Therefore, the CDC recommends vaccination even if you have had and recovered from COVID-19. If you were treated for COVID-19 symptoms with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, you should wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
What happens if I have an allergic reaction to the vaccine?
Pharmacy staff are specially trained and prepared to react to severe adverse events like allergic reactions. You will be asked to wait for 15 or 30 minutes after the vaccine depending on your history of allergic reactions. You can learn more about COVID-19 vaccines and allergic reactions from the CDC.
Are there side effects associated with the vaccine?
Many people feel some flu-like side effects as a normal response after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Some common reactions are discomfort or swelling at the site of injection, fever, chills, tiredness, and headache. This may affect your ability to do daily activities, but should go away in a few days.
Get helpful tips on how to reduce discomfort after your vaccination from the CDC.
After you receive your vaccine, you can enroll in the v-safe program through the CDC, which provides personalized check-ins through text messaging and web surveys. Someone from the CDC may call to check on you based on your answers. Click here to enroll for v-safe.
After I get the vaccine, can I stop wearing a mask?
No. While experts learn more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide under real-life conditions, it will be important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to us to help slow virus spread, like covering your mouth and nose with a mask, washing hands often, and staying at least 6 feet away from others. Together, the COVID-19 vaccination and following the CDC’s recommendations for how to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from getting and spreading COVID-19. Experts need to understand more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide before deciding to change recommendations on steps everyone should take to slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. Other factors, including how many people get vaccinated and how the virus is spreading in communities, will also affect this decision.
Is it true that the COVID-19 vaccine is only available to people 18+ years of age? What should I do to protect my younger children who are not old enough to receive the vaccination?
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is currently indicated for people 16 years of age and older, while the Moderna vaccine is indicated for people 18 years of age and older. While neither COVID-19 vaccine is currently recommended for children, ACIP will continue to reevaluate data as it becomes available.
Can I get my COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as other vaccines?
Other vaccines should be separated from COVID-19 vaccine by at least 14 days. If COVID-19 vaccine is inadvertently given within 14 days of another vaccine, you do not need to restart the COVID-19 vaccine series and should still complete it on schedule. CDC may update this recommendation when more data is available.