PHILADELPHIA—Everyone who is 18 or older and who has completed their COVID vaccine series are now eligible to get a booster dose two months after receiving a Johnson & Johnson vaccine or six months after their second dose of Pfizer or Moderna. Those 50 or older are recommended to get a booster. This recommendation was approved by the U.S. FDA and U.S. CDC today. The Philadelphia Department of Public Health continues to follow CDC guidance on this matter and will be notifying all vaccine providers in Philadelphia about the change in guidance.
Philadelphians who received either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine can get a booster dose of any of the three approved vaccines six months after their second dose. Those who received a Johnson and Johnson vaccine should get a booster dose of any approved COVID vaccine 2 months after their shot. There is some evidence that getting a booster dose of Moderna may be more protective than getting a second Johnson & Johnson dose. Children under the age of 18 are not approved to receive boosters at this time. Boosters are available anywhere that vaccines are being administered and continue to be free of charge.
“We know that some vaccines can lose their effectiveness over time,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole. “And we know that many people who are eligible for boosters have been confused by the complicated eligibility rules. That’s why I’m delighted to see the CDC update their recommendation that everyone over the age of 18 can get a booster dose. If everyone who is eligible gets one, children continue to get their vaccines, and the last few people who haven’t gotten any doses get vaccinated, it will go a long way toward avoiding a winter spike in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths from COVID. That’s the best way to get things back to normal.”
In order to help members of the public who may be confused by the new recommendations, the Health Department has updated their blog post on the City’s COVID-19 website that offers information on booster doses, a table that explains who should get which vaccines, and some frequently asked questions about booster doses.
For more information about the City’s response to the COVID pandemic, people are encouraged to visit the COVID-19 website at https://www.phila.gov/covid. To find the closest vaccine clinics, visit https://www.phila.gov/vaccine.