The Florence Unified School District strongly encourages all eligible individuals to become fully vaccinated as this is the best way to protect the health and safety of our students and community.
According to ADHS Arizona is now vaccinating all individuals ages 12 and older (12 and older for the Pfizer vaccine, 18 and older for the Moderna and Janssen vaccines). A safe and effective vaccine is a critical component of the U.S. strategy to stop the spread of COVID-19 and reduce COVID-19 related hospitalizations and deaths. The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) is working diligently to distribute and administer COVID-19 vaccines throughout Arizona.
Vaccine Safety
The COVID-19 vaccines are being held to the same safety standards as all vaccines. In order for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve COVID-19 vaccine use in the U.S., the vaccines have to show they are safe and effective with the benefits from the vaccine being greater than the risks.
The U.S. vaccine safety system ensures that all vaccines are safe as possible. Even with the rapid development and testing of COVID-19 vaccines, safety was not sacrificed in favor of speed. There are steps that scientists must follow in order to demonstrate vaccine safety before the vaccines reach the public and these steps cannot be skipped. The life cycle of the vaccine is carefully reviewed by independent committees of scientists and clinical experts and includes the following:
- FDA’s Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) carefully reviews all safety data from clinical trials and authorizes emergency vaccine use only when the expected benefits outweigh potential risks.
- The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) then reviews all safety data before recommending any COVID-19 vaccine for use.
- After a vaccine is authorized for use, FDA and CDC will continue to monitor the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, to make sure even very rare side effects are identified.
As with any medication, side effects may occur with the COVID-19 vaccines. The vaccines are expected to produce short-term (approx. 24-72 hours) side effects after vaccination. Side effects are particularly common after receiving a second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine. Short-term side effects include: injection site pain, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, injection site redness or swelling, nausea, feeling unwell, and swollen lymph nodes.
For more information on vaccines please visit the Arizona Department of Health's website click here
Embry Health will continue doing COVID testing and vaccinations at Poston Butte.