Arizona just changed who can get the COVID-19 vaccine. We help answer your questions

Arizona is now more than two months into its COVID-19 vaccine rollout, but many people still have questions about the process to get vaccinated and when it will be their turn.

As of March 2, more than 1.2 million Arizonans had been vaccinated with first doses and nearly 620,000 people were fully vaccinated with two doses. But along the way, there has been plenty of confusion about the state's vaccine rollout.

We asked azcentral Instagram followers what questions they had about getting a coronavirus vaccine in Arizona and tracked down experts and resources to answer them as thoroughly as possible.

Here are the answers we have so far to some of your most pressing questions.

What phase of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout are we in and what’s next?

Most Arizona counties are now vaccinating what is known as Prioritized Phase 1B, while Phase 1A groups can still get vaccinated. Here's who qualifies in those phases:

• Phase 1A: health care workers and health care support jobs; emergency medical services workers; and long-term care facility staff and residents.
• Prioritized Phase 1B: education and child care workers; protective services occupations (law enforcement officers, corrections officers, etc.); anyone who qualifies under Phase 1A; and adults 65 and over, in most counties.

But on Monday, Arizona announced it will do away with numbered phases and switch to an age-based distribution model, starting with vaccinating anyone 55 and older at two state-operated vaccination sites in Maricopa County — State Farm Stadium in Glendale and Phoenix Municipal Stadium.

Other sites and counties are expected to gradually move to the age-based system. Some changes will vary by county, as some counties have already started expanding who they are vaccinating beyond the priority 1B group.

Once 55% of people in a targeted age group have received at least one dose of vaccine, the jurisdiction will move into the next age group. The next age group will be 45 and older.

The state also will work with employers of essential workers, such as restaurants and grocery stores, to speed up the vaccination process for them, given that their jobs are at high risk for exposure, state officials have said.

When will Arizona open up Phase 1C of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout?

It won't. Arizona recently announced that it will do away with numbered phases and switch to a hybrid age-based distribution model. 

Now, an age-based system will come after the first two priority groups, starting with ages 55 and older. Once 55% of people in that age group have received a vaccine dose, the state will open vaccinations to ages 45 and older, and so on.

Counties are expected to gradually move into the age-based system, but some may choose not to distribute that way depending on where they are at in the rollout.

The age-based system will be a more efficient way to reach Arizonans with serious underlying health conditions who weren't scheduled for vaccines until Phase 1C of the rollout, state health director Dr. Cara Christ told The Arizona Republic.

When can Arizonans who are immunocompromised sign up to get the COVID-19 vaccine?

The state's new age-based approach will no longer target high-risk groups specifically, but distributing the vaccines by age will allow most Arizonans with underlying medical conditions to get vaccinated early in the process anyway, Christ said.

"When we move down to (ages) 55 and above, we will cover about 56% to 66% of all Arizonans that have a chronic medical condition," she said.

Christ said once the state moves to vaccinate ages 45 and older, they expect to cover 68% to 79% of all Arizonans with chronic medical conditions.

"We'll actually be moving through those with chronic medical conditions sooner than if we waited to start until we were through with all the essential workers because that was a large group," Christ said.

When will restaurant employees be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine?

Right now, there is no estimated start date yet for vaccinations for restaurant employees.

But as Arizona moves to an age-based distribution model, it also will start working with employers of certain essential workers, including restaurants, to accelerate the vaccination process for them, Christ said.

"What we're asking the counties to do is to work with employers on employer-based strategies to ensure we are targeting those front-line essential workers," she said.

When will COVID-19 vaccines be available to the general public?

Dr. Anthony Fauci recently told CNN that COVID-19 vaccines may not be widely available to the general public until mid-May to early June. 

As for Arizona, it may vary by county, but vaccines at the statewide level will open to the general public based on age as the state gradually lowers the limit to include more people. Those aged 55-64 are being added to the pool now; the next group to be added will be ages 45-54, and so on.

How are we making sure communities of color and/or low income are getting access to COVID-19 vaccines?

The state and many counties are working with partners such as nonprofits and community groups to ensure the vaccine gets to the most hard-to-reach and vulnerable populations. Efforts include targeted pop-up vaccine events, communications campaigns and getting doses to pharmacies and community health centers where people typically receive their health care and vaccines. The vaccine should be free for anyone in Arizona.

It's true that accessing the vaccine has been a struggle for Arizona's most vulnerable populations. Some of Maricopa County's wealthier areas have among the highest percentages of eligible residents vaccinated, while areas at the bottom of the list tend to be lower income, according to county estimates from the first weeks of COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Similar trends were found among Arizona's older population, as many low-income seniors of color have found getting the vaccine to be an especially difficult if not insurmountable task.

How will we know when different phases of the COVID-19 vaccination plan open up?

The state says it will clearly communicate what phase and age group Arizona overall and individual counties are in so people will know when it’s their turn.

Information is available on the ADHS vaccine webpage and county health department websites. There is a function on the state website to check whether you are currently eligible for the vaccine based on age or occupation. News outlets also alert the public when new phases are beginning.

To get regular COVID-19 text updates from The Arizona Republic, sign up here or text hello to 1-480-660-4027

Where can I volunteer so that I can get the COVID-19 vaccine too?

High-capacity COVID-19 vaccination sites in Arizona cannot operate without thousands of volunteers whose donated time often comes with a perk: a shot at the end of their shift. Some Arizona counties use a statewide registration system and others have county-specific systems for volunteers. Some nonprofit organizations also are coordinating volunteers.

Volunteer and get a shot: Here's how to volunteer in your county

Are COVID-19 vaccines available to people under 16?

Right now, no vaccines are available to people under 16. The FDA approved the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for people ages 16 and up, but the companies did not have enough data in younger adolescents to apply for use in that age group. Moderna had tested its vaccine only in adults, so it is authorized only for ages 18 and up.

Moderna launched a vaccine trial in 12- to 17-year-olds, but the company has struggled to find enough adolescent volunteers.

Do we know when the COVID-19 vaccine will be available for ages 60 and older?

The state is now vaccinating anyone 55 and older at its two state-operated vaccination sites in Maricopa County — State Farm Stadium in Glendale and Phoenix Municipal Stadium.

Counties and the state-operated vaccine site at the University of Arizona in Tucson are expected to open vaccinations to ages 55 and older, too. 

Where can those who are currently eligible get a COVID-19 vaccine?

Appointments may be limited until the state receives enough vaccine doses from the federal government to distribute to a variety of locations.

To find a convenient location near you, visit the state's Vaccine Finder webpage. You will see locations statewide that currently offer the vaccine, along with information about who is eligible and how to register at each site. 

People without internet access or who need help registering for an appointment can call the state's COVID-19 hotline at 844-542-8201.

Where to get the vaccine: Where can I get a COVID-19 vaccination in Arizona?

In addition to large state- and county-run POD sites, doses are increasingly being allocated to places like pharmacies, clinics and smaller sites. 

For more information about eligibility and local vaccination locations, contact your county or visit its website.

If I've had COVID-19, how long should I wait to get a vaccine? 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that:

• People with known or suspected COVID-19 should wait to be vaccinated until after their COVID-19 isolation period is over, certain criteria are met, and they are clinically improving. 
• People who have been exposed to COVID-19 should not be vaccinated until their COVID-19 quarantine period is over.

Public health experts recommend that people who have had COVID-19 should still get the vaccine when it’s available to them. Generally, it’s fine to get the vaccine once the isolation period and symptoms have ended. Those treated with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma should wait 90 days before getting the COVID-19 vaccine, the CDC says.

Is it OK to get my second vaccine dose one day early?

Yes. You should receive two doses of the vaccine at least 21 days apart, according to the CDC, but second doses administered up to four days before the recommended date are considered valid. It’s recommended that you receive the second dose as close to the 21-day interval as possible.

Does the COVID-19 vaccine affect fertility?

There is no current evidence that the COVID-19 vaccines affect fertility, according to ADHS.

A viral social media post that claimed the COVID-19 vaccines could lead to infertility in women was found to be false.

How many people have died after getting the COVID-19 vaccine?

While people have died after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, the vaccine has not been linked as a cause of those deaths.

A recent CDC report found that of the 113 death reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System between Dec. 14 and Jan. 13 — a time period that saw 13.8 million vaccine doses administered — no causal link between vaccination and death was found. 

Republic reporter Stephanie Innes contributed to this article.

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