News from the Orange County Health Department
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. Nov. 22, 2021 ― The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has recommended booster vaccine shots for all adults 18 and older to help strengthen and extend protections against COVID-19.
If you received the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, you can get your booster six months after your second shot. If you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you can get your booster two months after your shot.
Anyone over 50 or at high risk, as well as those 18 or older who were vaccinated more than two months ago with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, should get a booster dose now.
Additionally, fully vaccinated people who received their first COVID-19 vaccine outside of the U.S. or in clinical trials with a brand not currently authorized can now receive a Pfizer booster shot when they are eligible.
NCDHHS encourages you to speak with a doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you have questions about which booster is right for you.
To find a COVID-19 booster visit MySpot.nc.gov to search vaccine locations near you. Not all vaccines may be available at every vaccine location.
Individuals can receive any brand of COVID-19 vaccine for their booster shot. Some people may have a preference for the vaccine type that they originally received and others may prefer to get a different booster. Limited preliminary evidence suggests that 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 & Johnson vaccine.
Booster shots are available anywhere COVID-19 vaccines are available. 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. At-home vaccination and free transportation may be available.
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