WILL COUNTY – To clarify the CDC’s recent recommendation about COVID-19 booster shots, the Will County Health Department is sharing important information about these additional vaccines.
“It is important to note, these Pfizer booster vaccines are recommended only for individuals who received the two-dose Pfizer vaccine series and are at a higher risk due to being 65 or older, an 18 or older resident of a long-term care facility, or people with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, obesity, dementia, or other chronic diseases,” said Cindy Jackson, Director of Mass Vaccination for the health department. “The CDC is also recommending Pfizer booster vaccines for anyone age 18-64 who is at a high risk for COVID-19 exposure due to their job such as first responders, educators, public transit workers, and grocery store workers.”
Jackson said Pfizer booster shots are only available to those who originally received the Pfizer vaccine. Boosters can be administered six-months after a completed two-dose series of the Pfizer vaccine. Individuals can self-attest to whether they have a qualifying condition without specifying which condition at a vaccine clinic.
There is no need for a referral and the goal of the booster shots is an added protection to residents who are at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19. Currently, booster shots are not available to recipients of the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
“We want to protect the public health and help stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus and its variants,” she said.
For more information or to schedule a Pfizer booster vaccine, visit the website: www.willcountyhealth.org/covid-19/covid-19-vaccine-third-dose-booster or call (815) 774-7386.
