COCONINO COUNTY — Last Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) joined the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in authorizing a single booster dose of the Moderna and Pfizer mRNA vaccines for all adults 18 years and older.
This recent action allows individuals 18 years and older, who have completed their initial COVID-19 vaccine series to receive a booster shot at least six months after completing their initial vaccine series.
The CDC had previously approved booster doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for all adults 18 years and older at least two months after their initial dose.
CDC guidance allows individuals to seek a COVID-19 booster based on individual benefits and risk and to choose which type of vaccine booster they receive, allowing for mixing and matching of vaccines, subject to that vaccine’s timing and eligibility recommendations for booster doses.
The CDC says that all people 50 and older, as well as people 18 and older in long-term care settings, should receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot. People under the age of 18 are not eligible to receive a booster shot.
The booster dose offers additional protection against the virus, as immunity from COVID-19 vaccines wane over time. The COVID-19 vaccines continue to be remarkably effective in reducing risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death.
Individuals should bring their COVID-19 vaccination card with them when they receive their booster dose. COVID-19 vaccines are provided at no cost.
In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, several COVID-19 vaccination sites will revise their hours. The Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) vaccination site located at the Flagstaff Mall, 4650 US Highway 89, will be open on Wednesday, November 24 and will resume serving adults and children ages 5 – 17 at the Wednesday and Friday clinics as follows:
- Adults 18+: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Children 5–17: 1 – 5 p.m.
The site will be closed on Friday, November 26 for the holiday and will reopen on Wednesday, December 1.
To find a vaccination location and holiday closure information, please visit https://www.coconino.az.gov/2580/COVID-19-Vaccination-Locations.
CCHHS recommends the following precautions to minimize COVID-19 risk during the holidays:
- Do not attend or host a holiday gathering if you have symptoms.
- Get vaccinated against COVID-19 if you’re eligible.
- Wear well-fitting masks over your nose and mouth if you are in public indoor settings if you are not fully vaccinated.
- Wash hands frequently.
- Avoid crowded, poorly ventilated indoor spaces.
Following these recommendations will help to ensure a safe, healthy, and happy Thanksgiving.