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1. Why should I get vaccinated for COVID-19?

COVID-19 can cause serious illness or even death. There is no way to know how COVID-19 will affect you. And if you get sick, you could spread the disease to friends, family, and others around you.

All COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States have been shown to be highly effective at preventing COVID-19 disease. Even if you still get infected after you get vaccinated, the vaccine may prevent serious illness.

From CDC.gov/coronavirus/vaccines

2. Can the vaccine give me COVID-19?

No, the vaccine does not cause COVID-19. None of the approved COVID-19 vaccines contain the virus that causes COVID-19. It does take a few weeks after vaccination for your body to build up antibodies to protect you from the virus. That means it’s possible you could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after getting the vaccine and still get sick.

3. Will the shot hurt or make me sick?

Some people might get sore muscles, feel tired, or have mild fever after getting the vaccine. These reactions mean the vaccine is working to help teach your body how to fight COVID-19 if you are exposed. For most people, these side effects will last no longer than a few days. If you have any concerns, call your doctor or nurse.

4. Should I get vaccinated if I already had COVID-19?

Yes, you should still be vaccinated because you can become infected more than once. Although you may have some short-term natural protection (known as immunity) after recovering from COVID-19, we don’t know how long this protection will last. Vaccination is the best protection, and it is safe. People who get COVID-19 can have serious illnesses, and some have terrible symptoms that continue for months. If you have had COVID-19, ask your doctor, nurse, or clinic when you should be vaccinated.

5. Do I have to pay for the vaccine?

No. The federal government is providing the vaccine free of charge to all people living in the United States.

6. Where can I get a free COVID-19 test?

Monmouth County Dept. of Health

Hazlet residents receive health services from the Monmouth County Dept. of Health. A list of testing locations is posted on the county website. Look for the link at VisitMonmouth.com/health.

Middletown Township 

Middletown Township is opening up its COVID-19 testing program at its train station to residents of Hazlet. Visit this page on the Middletown Township website to learn how to pre-register to expedite the process. No appointment necessary, and nobody will be turned away for lack of insurance. The location is the main parking lot off Middletown-Lincroft Road.  

Schedule: 

• Sundays, 9am to 4pm
• Mondays & Fridays: 1 to 7 pm.

New Jersey Locations

A list of free public testing locations in New Jersey by county, including short-term pop-up testing sites. You can search New Jersey’s 400+ permanent testing locations, both public and private, using the stat’es test site finder tool here.

In addition, free COVID-19 testing and treatment is available at Community Health Centers, also known as Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), to all people whether you have health insurance or not and regardless of your immigration status Find an FQHC near you with this search tool, through 211 online, or by directly calling 2-1-1 (support is available in English and Spanish).

7. Where can I get a Rapid Test near Hazlet?

Find a testing location in Hazlet or any other town in New Jersey by accessing the  COVID-19 Test Finder Site on the state website. 

Note: The test site finder does not include short-term pop-up testing sites which can instead be found in this article. In addition, the test site finder is not exhaustive and does not represent a state-sponsored registry of legitimate testing sites.