Everyone age 6 months and older should get vaccinated, and keep up to date with recommended boosters. It’s a safe and effective way to build immunity against contracting COVID. This protects you, and others. With Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, you need two doses to begin. It’s important to get both doses, on time, for full effectiveness. You will need boosters, based on your age and health conditions.

Yes. The science behind Pfizer's and Moderna's vaccines (messenger RNA) has been in development for over a decade. All the steps of research and testing were followed to establish the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine. Over 12 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been given worldwide. 

Being fully vaccinated, with all boosters recommended for your age and health conditions, significantly reduces your risk of severe illness or death.

With Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, it takes about two weeks after the second dose to build maximum immunity. It’s important to get both doses -- and all boosters recommended for your age and health conditions. Get boosted five months after your second shot if you got Pfizer (12 and older) or Moderna (18 and older).

Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a single dose. It takes about two weeks to build maximum immunity. Get your booster after two months, and get Pfizer or Moderna for the best protection.

"Updated" bivalent booster shots are recommended for everyone 5 and older to keep your immunity up to date. Get a bivalent booster two months (or longer) after your last shot. 

Possible side effects are typical of what happens with other vaccines: low-grade fever, body aches, headache, fatigue, joint pain, soreness at the injection site. Side effects may be greater with the second dose or boosters. Side effects may feel like flu and might even affect your daily activities, but they should go away in a few days.

Side effects are a sign that the vaccine is working: Your body is building immunity without having an actual infection or being infectious to others. (If you have no side effects, that's OK too. The vaccine is still working.)

No. The vaccines do not use live virus. You cannot catch COVID from the vaccines. It’s possible to become infected through community spread shortly after vaccination, before the vaccine has had enough time to build immunity (typically about two weeks). It’s important to keep using precautions after your vaccination: Wear a mask, keep distance, wash your hands.

COVID is a deadly, highly contagious disease. We have safe, effective vaccines to prevent it. It is safer to get a vaccine than it is to get COVID.

We encourage you to get vaccinated, and stay up to date with boosters. This is one of the best ways to protect yourself and everyone around you. 

Yes. Current variants are highly contagious and can be spread by vaccinated people. To protect others who are vulnerable, we encourage you to continue other prevention methods along with vaccine: wear masks, keep distance, wash your hands, stay home if you're sick. These precautions help everyone.

Current variants are highly contagious. It's best to wear a mask when you're indoors with others who don't live in your household. You MUST wear a mask in the hospital and healthcare settings to protect others who are at risk of COVID. Hospitals, healthcare settings and nursing homes have mask and distance precautions to protect high-risk people: Those who are ill and seeking care; immune-compromised; or vulnerable to severe illness. Healthcare settings must continue core infection prevention practices to keep these people safe.  

Yes.  When someone gets COVID-19, they develop immunity against the specific variant that infected them. Many unvaccinated people who got COVID-19 in late 2021 got sick again in early 2022 from a different variant. 

COVID-19 vaccines provide the best defense against the current variant, plus the best defense against any upcoming strains. Vaccines gives a clear, predictable level of protection.

If you were recently diagnosed with COVID, talk to your primary care provider about when you should get vaccinated. You can get vaccinated after your symptoms end. You don't need to wait. 

Yes. There’s no way to know how COVID will affect you, even if you are not at increased risk of severe complications. You can also spread the virus to family, friends, and others around you whether or not you have symptoms. Your vaccine protects others, too.

If you have allergies so severe that you carry an EpiPen, talk with your provider and allergist about your options.

Yes. Based on how mRNA vaccines work, experts believe they do not pose a specific risk for people who are pregnant. Getting COVID poses a bigger risk: Pregnant people who get COVID are at higher risk of severe illness or death, and COVID can affect your baby’s health. (Source: CDC) Talk with your provider if you have concerns. 

The CDC says that mRNA vaccines are not thought to be a risk to the breastfeeding infant. (There are no data at this time on the safety of COVID vaccines in lactating women or on the effects of mRNA vaccines on the breastfed infant or on milk production/excretion.) People who are breastfeeding and in a group that’s recommended to get a COVID vaccine (such as healthcare workers) can choose to be vaccinated.

No. No vaccine affects fertility or sterility, in women or men, girls or boys. However, getting sick with COVID can affect sperm count and motility in men.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use “messenger RNA” (mRNA) to teach cells how to make a protein that triggers an immune response inside the body. That immune response produces antibodies that protect you from getting infected if the real virus enters your body.

No. mRNA does not affect or interact with your DNA in any way. It never enters the nucleus of the cell, where DNA is kept. Instead, the vaccine uses mRNA to work with the body’s natural defenses to safely develop immunity.

Yes. This is one of the best ways to protect yourself and everyone around you.

1. We share a social responsibility to protect others. You might not be at high risk for becoming seriously ill or dying from COVID, but we all have a responsibility not to spread it to others who are at high risk. You can spread COVID without even becoming sick yourself. The more people who get vaccinated, the fewer people there are to spread COVID.
2. Vaccines are the best way to develop immunity as safely as possible. COVID will continue to exist, a viral illness in our world like chickenpox, measles, and influenza. We will all need to become immune to this virus at some point in our lives. Science shows the vaccine is the safest way to build immunity.
3. Widespread immunity helps us get back to normal. When 75% to 80% of the population is vaccinated, the country will develop widespread immunity that protects us all. The sooner we each get vaccinated to protect our family, friends, and neighbors from COVID, the sooner we can reopen and gather together once again.

There’s a lot of information being published about COVID vaccines. Please choose reliable sources to learn the facts, so you can make an informed decision about your health – and your loved ones.
•    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(link is external)
•    CDC-recommended sources(link is external)
•    Minnesota Department of Health(link is external)
•    Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center

Vaccine is available to everyone age 6 months and older. Make an appointment by calling 507-646-8019.

Vaccine is available to everyone age 6 months and older. Make an appointment by calling 507-646-8019.

Children ages 6 months and older are being vaccinated now. Make an appointment by calling 507-646-8019.

When you get the vaccine, you and your healthcare worker both need to wear masks that cover your nose and mouth. Stay 6 feet away from others while inside and in lines. You’ll be given a fact sheet that tells you more about the specific vaccine you’re being offered, to help you understand the risks and benefits of receiving that specific vaccine. The healthcare worker will review a few health questions with you before your injection. After injection, you’ll be monitored for any side effects for 15 minutes. You’ll be given a vaccination card or printout that tells you what vaccine you received, the date you received it, and where you received it. Keep this card for your records. (Take a picture of it for back up.) Ask: When am I due for my second dose? When should I get my booster(s)?

There is no charge for vaccine doses from CDC; these doses are funded by the federal government. There may be a charge for getting the shot, to cover administration costs for the clinic or hospital. Vaccine administration costs will be billed to insurance. For patients who do not have coverage, administration costs may qualify for government funding.  

COVID is a deadly, highly contagious disease. We have safe, effective vaccines to prevent it. It is safer to get a vaccine than it is to get COVID.

We encourage you to get vaccinated, and stay up to date on recommended boosters. This is one of the best ways to protect yourself and everyone around you. 

Three reasons to get the vaccine:

1. We share a social responsibility to protect others. You might not be at high risk for becoming seriously ill or dying from COVID, but we all have a responsibility not to spread it to others who are at high risk. You can spread COVID without even becoming sick yourself. The more people who get vaccinated, the fewer people there are to spread COVID.
2. Vaccines are the best way to develop immunity as safely as possible. COVID will continue to exist, a viral illness in our world like chickenpox, measles, and influenza. We will all need to become immune to this virus at some point in our lives. Science shows the vaccine is the safest way to build immunity.
3. Widespread immunity helps us get back to normal. When 75% to 80% of the population is vaccinated, the country will develop widespread immunity that protects us all. The sooner we each get vaccinated to protect our family, friends, and neighbors from COVID, the sooner we can reopen and gather together once again.

There’s a lot of information being published about COVID vaccines. Please choose reliable sources to learn the facts, so you can make an informed decision about your health – and your loved ones.
•    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(link is external)
•    CDC-recommended sources(link is external)
•    Minnesota Department of Health(link is external)
•    Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center

Before you arrive: You can review vaccine information online. CDC has information on COVID vaccines. 

Please keep your appointment time. Times are coordinated to space people out and maintain distance for COVID precautions.

When you arrive: Wear a mask covering your mouth and nose. You will be screened to enter the building. We’ll check you in, review your consent form and some health questions. Please do not come if you have a fever or any COVID symptoms. Call 507-646-8019 to reschedule your appointment. 

When you get your vaccine: You’ll get your vaccine (a shot in your arm), then sit in a monitoring area for 15 or 30 minutes to monitor for side effects. If you wish, we can help you sign up for V-Safe – CDC’s text-based program to track side effects for everyone who’s gotten a vaccine.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends it.

Children can get sick from COVID, some with long-lasting health problems.

Early studies show that the more times a person gets COVID, the harder it is on their immune system.  Every new variant affects a child more, and has higher risk of severe COVID than previous variants. Your child is at higher risk for severe COVID now (2022) compared to when COVID began, due to mutations in the virus.

Children also can spread COVID to others, even if they don’t have any symptoms. Vaccinating children helps break the path of virus to other family members and friends.

Having all members of your household vaccinated is the best protection for your whole family.

margin-right:5px; margin-bottom:5px; margin-left:5px">COVID vaccines have had the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history, including studies in adolescents and children. (Source: CDC)

Moderna and Pfizer have tested their vaccines on thousands of individuals, and studies have found the vaccines to be completely safe and effective at preventing COVID – especially serious illness and death.

As soon as you can arrange it.

Even if your child has (or recently had) COVID, it’s safe to get them vaccinated whenever it’s available to you.

COVID vaccine is safe to be given at the same time as any other immunizations.

Most people experience mild (or no) side effects. Side effects are normal signs that the body is building protection.

During testing, children 6 months and older have gotten the vaccine with minimal side effects.

Your child may have pain at the injection site, some redness and swelling. Your child also may have fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever or nausea. Side effects may appear a few hours after injection and may last a few days.

You can give your child non-aspirin pain reliever (ibuprofen, Tylenol, acetaminophen) for any of these common side effects. (There’s no need to give pain relievers before your child’s injection; that medication is likely to wear off before side effects appear.)

Before the appointment, we recommend having something to eat. It will keep your child’s blood sugar steady and help keep them calm, especially if they're nervous or excited.