NEW YORK (WKBW) — New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced Monday COVID-19 booster doses are available for those who are eligible.
The governor's office said in accordance with the CDC recommendation there are four groups of New Yorkers eligible for a booster:
New Yorkers who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine SHOULD receive their booster dose at least six months after their primary vaccine series IF:
- They are 65 years and older or residents in long-term care settings.
- They are 50 - 64 years of age with underlying medical conditions.
New Yorkers who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine MAY receive their COVID-19 booster dose at least six months after their primary vaccine series IF:
- They are 18-49 years with underlying medical conditions, based on your individual benefits and risks.
- They are 18 - 64 years and are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of your occupational or institutional setting, based on your individual benefits and risks.
As of now, you must have received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for your initial vaccine series at least six months ago to be eligible. Booster doses are not currently available to those who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine but may be in the future.
Our top priority remains staying ahead of this constantly changing virus and protecting New Yorkers with effective, long-lasting vaccines. As we've heard from our federal and State medical and health experts, as with many other vaccines, the protection from the COVID-19 vaccine can wane over time. A booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will help particularly at-risk New Yorkers stay protected from the virus for longer. While the focus of our vaccination effort remains ensuring all unvaccinated New Yorkers get vaccinated, those who are booster eligible should waste no time receiving maximum protection from COVID-19 as soon as possible.
The governor's office said booster doses are available for free statewide at state-run mass vaccination sites, pharmacies, local health departments, clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and other locations across New York State.
The state launched a dedicated website for further information on booster doses which can be found here.
