Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions and Additional Resources

UTSA strongly urges all students to get vaccinated against COVID-19, as vaccination is the best opportunity we have to protect our Roadrunner community. At this time, however, we are not planning to require vaccination for fall students.

According to the CDC, people are considered fully vaccinated:

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

If it has been less than two weeks since your shot, or if you still need to get your second dose, you are not fully protected and should keep taking all prevention measures until you are fully vaccinated.

At this time, UTSA does not require COVID-19 vaccination for UTSA faculty or staff.

Your COVID-19 vaccination status is protected, confidential medical information.

You are not required or obligated to disclose your vaccination status to your supervisor, and supervisors should not ask their employees whether or not they have been vaccinated.

Employees who will be going off campus for the COVID-19 vaccine (e.g. UT Health) can flex their schedule to cover the time missed, if approved by their supervisor. If flexing cannot be supported, they will have to use their own leave.

The COVID-19 vaccines offered at UTSA's vaccine clinics are free for everyone eligible to receive a vaccine, regardless of medical insurance status.

As of May 12, 2021, everyone 12 years old and older is now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in Texas.

The state’s Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel recommended opening vaccination to everyone who falls under the current Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorizations. All vaccines are authorized for people 18 years old and older. The Pfizer vaccine is authorized for people 12 years old and older.

All patients are encouraged to download the Center for Disease Control’s vaccine safety app.

Experts say the COVID-19 vaccine is safe for most people. To learn more, review the CDC's COVID-19 Vaccine Information for Specific Groups if the following applies to you:

• Allergies
• Long-term Care Facility Residents
• Children and Teens
• Medical Conditions
• Disabilities
• Older Adults
• Essential Workers
• Pregnancy or Breastfeeding
• Healthcare Personnel
• Teachers, School Staff & Childcare Workers

If you have questions or concerns about getting vaccinated, always consult your primary care physician.

According to the CDC, side effects for the COVID-19 vaccine include:

On the arm where you got the shot:

• Pain
• Redness
• Swelling

Throughout the rest of your body:

• Tiredness
• Headache
• Muscle pain
• Chills
• Fever
• Nausea

These side effects are a sign that your body is building protection against the virus. These side effects may affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days. Some people have no side effects.

Yes, you should be vaccinated regardless of whether you have already had COVID-19. That’s because experts do not yet know how long you are protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19. Even if you have already recovered from COVID-19, it is possible that you could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 again.

If you were treated for COVID-19 with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, you should wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Talk to your doctor if you are unsure what treatments you received or if you have more questions about getting a COVID-19 vaccine. 

Visit the CDC's website to learn more.

First, you should contact your healthcare provider. If you are a student, you are currently living on-campus, call Student Health Services at 210-458-4142, menu option 3, Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. You can also visit the Student Health Services patient portal to schedule a Telemedicine appointment online.

Then, you should visit Report an Adverse Event on the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) website and follow the instructions to fill out the VAERS online form or downloadable PDF. You may also report your reaction through V-safe. V-safe is a smartphone-based tool created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after you receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Through v-safe, you can quickly tell CDC if you have any side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Information on how to register for V-safe can be found here.

Current scientific evidence clearly points to the protective efficacy of vaccines against COVID variants. On-site vaccine clinics will continue to be available to the Roadrunner community as well as vaccine clinics offering booster doses for those eligible.