COVID-19 boosters now recommended for everyone 12 and older
Adolescents get the jab at an ICHS pop-up vaccine clinic at Highland Middle School, Bellevue, Dec. 11, 2021.
**Update 5/25/2022: COVID-19 boosters now recommended for everyone ages five and older. Please visit https://www.ichs.com/news/covi... for the most up-to-date information.
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Everyone aged 12 and up are eligible for coronavirus booster shots as of Jan. 5, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At this time, only the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is authorized and recommended for adolescents aged 12 to 17.
Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH | Director of the Centers for Disease ControlIt is critical that we protect our children and teens from COVID-19 infection and the complications of severe disease. Today, I endorsed ACIP’s vote to expand eligibility and strengthen our recommendations for booster doses. We now recommend that all adolescents aged 12-17 years should receive a booster shot 5 months after their primary series. This booster dose will provide optimized protection against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant. I encourage all parents to keep their children up to date with CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.
In November, the CDC recommended that all adults get boosters:
- If you got the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine: you should wait five months or more after your second dose to get your booster.
- If you got the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine: you should wait six months or more after your second dose to get your booster.
- If you got the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine: you should wait two months or more after your initial dose to get your booster.
COVID-19 cases in the United States have hit record levels in recent days due to the fast spreading Omicron variant of the virus. Infection rates are surging as many workers and school children return from holiday vacations, raising the prospect of overwhelmed health systems as well as closed businesses and schools. Booster shots are especially critical now and are the same formula as the original vaccines, although the Moderna booster is half the dose.
ICHS patients should call (206) 788-3700 to make a COVID-19 vaccine appointment. Scheduled appointments are only available for ICHS patients. Non-ICHS patients may walk into our pharmacies at our International District, Holly Park, and Shoreline clinics. For more information, click here.