UTAH (ABC4) – Eligible Utahns can now get their COVID-19 vaccine at various Intermountain Healthcare locations.

Current guidelines say those eligible include:

  • Individuals age 65 and older
  • Individuals 16 and older with certain medical conditions (Pfizer vaccine is for individuals 16 and older, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson for individuals 18 and older)
  • Healthcare workers
  • First responders like EMS personnel, law enforcement officers, dispatchers, and corrections officers
  • Long-term care facility staff and residents
  • K-12 school teachers or staff

Intermountain Healthcare says vaccinesw are free of charge to individuals, regardless of whether or not they have insurance. An appointment is required.

To schedule your first dose, visit Intermountain Healthcare’s website or call the COVID-19 vaccine hotline at 1-877-777-0566 (available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week)

Here is a list of current locations and the type of vaccine available, according to Intermountain Healthcare:

  • Johnson & Johnson (one shot), approved for those 18-years-old and older
    • Logan Regional Hospital – Logan
    • McKay-Dee Hospital – Ogden
    • TOSH – Murray
    • Riverton Hospital – Riverton
    • Park City Hospital – Park City (March 4th and 5th only)
    • Utah Valley Hospital – Provo (Monday, March 8th only)
    • Saint George Hospital – Saint George
  • Pfizer (2 shots, 21 days apart), approved for individuals 16-years-old and older
    • Utah Valley Hospital – Provo (March 4th and 5th only)

These new appointments are part of a recently-announced agreement between the Utah Department of Health and various partners.

ABC4 has answered numerous questions regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. Here is a look at a few:

How long should I wait to get the vaccine after having the virus?

According to Jenny Johnson, Public Information Officer with the Utah Department of Health, people who have had COVID-19 can safely be vaccinated.

The only “rule” about being vaccinated after being infected with the virus, she says, is that people must have completed the quarantine period and be symptom-free.

“There is no reason why someone should not get the vaccine after being infected,” Johnson says.

What should and shouldn’t I do after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine?

Do you continue to social distance and wear a mask? And when does immunity set in?

The Utah Department of Health provided ABC4 some guidelines.

Can I donate blood after receiving the vaccine?

You can, but the American Red Cross says it is important to note which type of vaccine you got.

I missed my second COVID-19 shot – now what?

The appointment is scheduled, and you missed getting it! What do you do now? Will you have to take two more shots? Probably not. Here’s what the Utah Department of Health says:

“You should get your second shot as close to the recommended 3-week or 1-month interval as possible. However, there is no maximum interval between the first and second doses for either vaccine. You should not get the second dose earlier than the recommended interval.”

Do the vaccines have microchips in them?

No, the vaccines do not have a microchip in them. ABC4 spoke with a pair of experts who explain where the theory came from.

Can I take painkillers before or after receiving the vaccine?

It’s best to avoid them, unless you routinely take them for a medical condition, officials say. Although the evidence is limited, some painkillers might interfere with the very thing the vaccine is trying to do: generate a strong immune system response. Health officials explain why.

For continuing coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and the vaccine, click here.