Health Department to Start Booster Dose Vaccine Clinics Next Week
Published on September 24, 2021
Booster doses now approved for certain groups, including people age 65 and older
The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department (LLCHD) today announced it plans to start booster dose clinics next week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today approved a booster dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for certain groups and also recommended a booster dose for those in high-risk workplace or institutional settings.
The CDC recommends:
- People age 65 and older and residents in long-term care settings should receive a booster dose.
- People age 50 to 64 with underlying medical conditions should receive a booster dose.
- People age 18 to 49 with underlying medical conditions may receive a booster dose based on their individual benefits and risks.
- People age 18 to 64 who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a booster dose based on their individual benefits and risks.
The CDC recommendation follows authorization on Wednesday by the Food and Drug Administration. The booster dose recommendation only applies to people who have received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine. The booster dose will be given at least six months after the second dose.
“We’re awaiting some final guidance from the CDC, which is expected soon. In the meantime, we’ve put our plans into action so we can be ready to start providing booster doses next week,” said Pat Lopez, Health Director. “COVID-19 vaccines continue to provide strong protection against severe disease, hospitalization and death. But it’s common for protection from vaccines to decrease over time. A booster dose helps maximize the existing protection a person already has against COVID-19.”
LLCHD will be providing Pfizer booster doses by appointment only through designated booster clinics and will be using an approach similar to the initial rollout of COVID-19 vaccine – moving through age and priority groups in stages. It will start with clinics for people age 80 and older. On Monday, September 27, LLCHD will begin contacting people in that age group by email or phone to schedule an appointment for their booster. More details on upcoming clinics will be provided in the near future.
Several local pharmacies will also be providing booster doses. Find a pharmacy near you at vaccines.gov or by texting your Zip code to 438829. Potential booster dose recommendations for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines are still being determined and LLCHD will provide more information once it becomes available.
For more information on COVID-19 vaccine, visit COVID19.lincoln.ne.gov or call the Health Department at 402-441-4200.