A southern Kentucky health department is among the many groups across the nation preparing to give COVID-19 booster shots later this year.
The U.S. Surgeon General announced Wednesdaythat Pfizer and Moderna booster shots have been approved for the general public, starting the week of September 20.
Third doses of the vaccine are already available for anyone who is immunocompromised, and who is at least 28 days past their second shot.
Julia Davidson is the director of nursing at the Barren River District Health Department, which serves eight counties including Barren, Simpson, and Warren. She said anyone getting a third shot will get the same brand of vaccine they’ve already received.
“So if you had the initial series, the first two doses of Pfizer, you’d need to complete it with the third dose of Pfizer. The same for Moderna.”
People 18 and older who got their Pfizer or Moderna vaccines will become eligible to get a booster shot eight months after their second dose.
Davidson said she expects to see a return to mass vaccination events once COVID-19 booster shots become available to the public next month.
“If the booster doses roll out in the fall, like we discussed, I would anticipate probably large, mass events again like we had back eight months ago, seven months ago.”
Those who got the two-dose Moderna and Pfizer shots are eligible for the booster before those who received the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
