Booster doses are now recommended for some groups of people. The CDC recommends the following:
- people 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings should receive a booster shot of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer primary series,
- people aged 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions should receive a booster shot of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer primary series,
- people aged 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions may receive a booster shot of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks, and
- people aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a booster shot of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks.
The top priority for VDH is still to fully vaccinate people who remain unvaccinated. All three COVID-19 vaccines approved and authorized in the United States continue to be effective in reducing the risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death, even against the Delta variant. Nearly all the cases of severe disease, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 continue to occur among those not fully vaccinated. Recent data show hospitalization rates are 10 to 22 times higher among the unvaccinated compared to vaccinated adults.
There is no rush for eligible individuals to get a booster dose right away. Vaccine protection decreases gradually over time. Boosters of the Pfizer vaccine are recommended at least 6 months after receiving the second dose, and individuals still have good protection against COVID-19 if they don’t receive a booster dose as soon as they are eligible.
As the science and the virus evolves, so do policies and recommendations. Booster doses are common for many vaccines. The scientists and medical experts who developed the COVID-19 vaccines continue to closely watch for signs of waning immunity, how well the vaccines protect against new mutations of the virus, and how that data differs across age groups and risk factors.
What should I do if I received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine? At this time, we are still awaiting further research and guidance regarding boosters for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson and the safety of mixing different vaccines. Pfizer was the first vaccine to be authorized, and therefore its data on any waning effectiveness was also available first.
Looking for an opportunity to get your Pfizer COVID-19 booster shot this week? We have a clinic for you!
Thursday September 30, 12:00 to 6:00 p.m.
James Madison University Convocation Center
Pfizer (Booster doses for eligible persons, first and second doses also available)
Johnson & Johnson (First dose)
Walk-ins welcome. To skip the line, make an appointment at vase.vdh.virginia.gov.
