COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shots
The CDC has expanded the eligibility for COVID-19 booster shots with recommendations for those who have received the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. No matter what initial vaccine you received, you may choose which vaccine to receive as a booster.
Who should get a booster shot?
If you received a Pfizer series:
- Age 16 +
If you received a Moderna series:
- Age 18 +
If you received a J&J vaccine:
- Age 18 +
When should you get a booster shot?
- At least 6 months after Pfizer or Moderna
- At least 2 months after J&J
Why Get Vaccinated?
To stop this pandemic, we need to use all of our prevention tools. Vaccines are one of the most effective tools to protect your health and prevent disease. Vaccines work with your body’s natural defenses so your body will be ready to fight the virus, if you are exposed (also called immunity). Other steps, like wearing a mask that covers your nose and mouth and staying at least 6 feet away from other people you don’t live with, also help stop the spread of COVID-19. Studies show that COVID-19 vaccines are very effective at keeping you from getting COVID-19. Experts also think that getting a COVID-19 vaccine may help keep you from getting seriously ill even if you do get COVID-19. These vaccines cannot give you the disease itself.
To Protect Yourself, Your Coworkers, Your Family, and Your Community It all starts with you. Building defenses against COVID-19 in our community is a team effort and you are a key part of that defense. Getting the COVID-19 vaccine adds one more layer of protection for you, your coworkers, and family. There are several healthcare providers and pharmacies in the community, that provide the COVID-19 vaccine. Please call the Monroe County Health Department for more information, 270-487-6782. Visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/toolkits.html to learn more about the benefits of getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
Visit Kentucky's online county level vaccine dashboard to view state and county-level vaccine percentages by age.
- COVID Tracker
https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions
- Vaccine Tracker
https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view
The Monroe County Health Department is now offering Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for 5 through 11 years of age
While COVID-19 tends to be milder in children compared with adults, it can make children very sick and cause children to be hospitalized. In some situations, the complications from infection can lead to death.
Although children are at a lower risk of becoming severely ill with COVID-19 compared with adults, children can
- Be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19
- Get very sick from COVID-19
- Have both short and long-term health complications from COVID-19
- Spread COVID-19 to others
Children with underlying medical conditions are more at risk for severe illness from COVID-19 compared with children without underlying medical conditions. Children who get infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 can also develop serious complications like multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C)—a condition where different body parts become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs.
Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can help protect children ages 5 years and older from getting COVID-19.
- Vaccinating children can help protect family members, including siblings who are not eligible for vaccination and family members who may be at increased risk of getting very sick if they are infected.
- Vaccination can also help keep children from getting seriously sick even if they do get COVID-19.
- Vaccinating children ages 5 years and older can help keep them in school and help them safely participate in sports, playdates, and other group activities.
Help protect your whole family and slow the spread of COVID-19 in your community by getting yourself and your children ages 5 years and older vaccinated against COVID-19. Visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/children-teens.html for more information.