The Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts (RCAHD) will offer COVID-19 vaccine boosters of the Pfizer vaccine in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For adults aged 18 and older who qualify, booster doses may be obtained any time after six months from the date of the second Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Boosters have not been approved for people who received Moderna or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.
Booster doses should be considered for the following people at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series who meet the eligibility criteria:
- People aged 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings, and
- People 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions.
“COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness decreases slowly at six months, but people still have strong protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death” said health districts director Cynthia Morrow, MD, MPH. Because vaccine protection decreases gradually over time, there is no rush for eligible individuals to get a booster dose right away.
While RCAHD is continuing to prioritize efforts to encourage all eligible persons to get their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine if they haven’t already, officials are happy to be able to provide boosters to individuals for whom boosters are recommended, as well as to other adults who may benefit from a booster including:
- People aged 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions, and
- People aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting, based on their individual benefits and risks.
- Submitted by Christie Wills, Communications Officer
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