CHICAGO — COVID-19 booster shots are now available to all adults in the United States.
The federal government approved booster shots for all eligible adults Friday. Chicago’s Department of Public Health and the Cook County health department are urging eligible people to get their shots as winter nears and people prepare for holiday gatherings.
Anyone who’s 18 and older and who has had at least six months pass since the second shot of their Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two months pass since the only shot of their Johnson & Johnson vaccine is eligible for a booster.
People can get booster shots at pharmacies, pop-up clinics, events, doctors’ offices, hospitals and other spots. The city will order more vaccine doses from the government to meet the increased demand for boosters, according to a health department news release.
The booster shots are free and do not require insurance.
People are allowed to mix and match for their booster shot, meaning someone who initially got vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine could opt for a Moderna booster. Dr. Allison Arwady, head of the Chicago Department of Public Health, has previously said she’d encourage people who got vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson to get a Pfizer or Moderna booster.
More information about getting a booster shot is available on the city health department website.
“Boosters are particularly important now because they help reduce transmission of the virus, especially as most activities are now moving indoors (where transmission can more easily occur),” the county’s health leaders said in a news release. “Cases are rising again, and we need to protect Cook County from another major surge that could lead to increased hospitalizations and deaths from COVID complications.
“Together we will get there, but we need everyone to play their part. So if you are eligible to receive a booster shot, we urge you to get one.”
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