Whether or not you need a booster will depend on your individual circumstances and which of the vaccines you received.  The CDC’s recommendations are listed below.  VDH encourages those with questions to work with their healthcare provider to decide whether they should get a booster dose.

For individuals who received a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, the following groups are eligible for a booster shot at 6 months or more after their initial series:

• 65 years and older
• Age 18+ who live in long-term care settings
• Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions
• Age 18+ who work or live in high-risk settings

For individuals who received a Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, booster shots are recommended for those who are 18 and older and who were vaccinated two or more months ago.

No. All COVID-19 vaccines work well to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death, even against the Delta variant. However, public health experts are starting to see reduced protection,  especially among certain populations, against mild and moderate disease.

• For the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, CDC provides the recommendations below.  For the J&J vaccine all individuals 18+ are recommended to get a booster dose.
• Adults 65+, adults 50-64 years who have underlying medical conditions, and residents of long-term care facilities are at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19.   A booster dose is recommended to ensure their continued protection.
• Some individuals are at higher risk for being exposed to COVID-19 due to their occupation.  While the COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against severe disease remains high for healthcare personnel and other essential workers, these individuals cannot work if they have even a mild COVID-19 illness.  Additionally, they are at risk to spread the illness to their household members.  These individuals may receive a booster dose
• Adults 18–49 who have underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID 19. However, their risk is likely not as high as it would be for adults 50 years and older who have underlying medical conditions, or people who live in long-term care settings. With the lower risk, the data do not support that everyone who falls into this group should get a booster shot. Therefore, CDC’s recommendation is not as strong for these populations, but still allows a booster shot to be available for those who would like to get one. 
• People 18 and older who are at high risk for severe COVID-19 due to underlying medical conditions or their occupation should consider their individual risks and  benefits when making the decision of whether to get a booster shot. This recommendation may change in the future as more data become available.

An additional dose (or 3rd dose) of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) is now recommended for people with a weak immune system 28 days after their second dose. This is because their initial immune response after a 2-dose series may not have been strong enough to protect them. A booster dose of a vaccine is recommended when a person’s initial immune response is likely to have decreased over time.

• At this time, Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is authorized by the FDA for those ages 12 and up.  Pfizer-BioNTech submitted data for vaccine response among 5-11 year olds to the FDA in September. The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) plans to meet on November 2nd and 3rd on this topic.
• Once the FDA issues an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) and the CDC Director makes a recommendation, Virginia will provide the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to children 5-11 years old. 
• In the first week of June 2021, Moderna submitted data for expansion of their EUA, to include 12 to 17 year olds. FDA and ACIP review of these new data still need to occur. Moderna anticipates having data for even younger age groups in “early Fall”. No additional information is available at this time.

No, they do not. There is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines cause fertility problems, in women or men. If you are trying to become pregnant now or want to get pregnant in the future, you can and should receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

• Yes, vaccines are safe for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding. COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people 12 years and older, including people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future.
• There is no evidence of miscarriages, stillbirths, or preterm births linked to the vaccines.
• In fact, getting vaccinated is especially important for pregnant people who have a higher risk of complications from COVID-19. Additionally, a recent study found antibodies against COVID-19 in babies born to vaccinated people, which might help protect the babies. And recent reports indicate that vaccinated breastfeeding people have antibodies in their breast milk, which may also help protect their babies.

• Common side effects include mild symptoms that should go away in a few days. They include redness, pain, or swelling on the arm where you got the shot. They also include a mild fever, chills, headache, or feeling tired.
• Severe allergic reactions after getting a COVID-19 vaccine are rare. Call 9-1-1 or seek immediate medical care if you have symptoms. Vaccination sites are ready to help people who have immediate allergic reactions.  Stay at the vaccination site for at least 15 minutes after the vaccine.
• Serious side effects that could cause a long-term health problem are extremely unlikely following any vaccination, including COVID-19 vaccination. To let CDC know about any side effects, you can sign up for a free, secure smartphone tool at V-Safe After Vaccination Health Checker (https://vsafe.cdc.gov/en/) [Español] Millions of people have received COVID-19 vaccines, and no long-term side effects have been detected.