Orange County announced its local governments now have COVID-19 booster vaccine shots available for all who qualify.
The Centers for Disease Control recently authorized and recommended booster vaccines for those who are fully vaccinated to provide continued protection against the virus. Orange County said it has Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson booster shots available.
Booster shots are available anywhere COVID-19 vaccines are available. According to the county’s health department, people do not need a doctor’s note to get a booster shot and may self-attest to eligibility.
Individuals who want to receive a booster shot will need to know the dates of any past COVID-19 vaccinations, as well as the vaccine brand they originally received. Paper vaccination cards are helpful but may not be necessary to receive the shot.
While not all boosters may be available at all locations, the CDC said people eligible to receive their booster shots can mix and match brands, so they do not have to get the same shot they initially received.
Limited preliminary evidence suggests booster doses of one of the two mRNA vaccines — Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech — more effectively raise antibody levels than a booster dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
Eligibility for booster shots varies depending on the brand of the initial vaccine.
For Moderna, if you received your second dose more than 6 months ago, boosters are now available for people 65 years or older or people 18 years or older who live in long-term care settings, have underlying medical conditions or who live/work in high risk settings. The Moderna booster is a smaller dose than what is given in the first two shots.
For Johnson and Johnson, anyone 18 or older who was vaccinated more than two months ago should get a booster dose.
For Pfizer, if you received your second dose more than 6 months ago, booster shots are available to anyone at a high-risk for serious illness or exposure.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services encourages people to speak with a doctor, nurse or pharmacist if they have questions about what booster is right for them. At-home vaccination and free transportation to vaccination sites may be available.
To find a location for a COVID-19 booster visit MySpot.nc.gov. More information about COVID-19 booster shots in North Carolina is available here.
Photo courtesy of AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali
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