Updated information on COVID-19 booster shot availability has been released by the Baker-Polito administration in accordance with Center of Disease Control (CDC) guidelines. Now, all three vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson) have available boosters being administered to qualifying residents throughout Massachusetts.
The Moderna booster is available to residents who are 65 or older at least six months after their second Moderna shot. Following the same timeline, the booster can also be received by those who are 18 or older who have existing medical conditions, work in high-risk environments, or live in long-term care residences that makes them more susceptible to COVID-19 infections. The Pfizer vaccine booster is available to people within the same categories.
The Johnson & Johnson booster is available to any person 18 or older who received their single Johnson & Johnson shot two months prior. Those who receive a booster do not have to get the same vaccine as their original shots, meaning those who originally received their two doses of Moderna can safely receive a Johnson & Johnson booster. Those who do not receive any booster are still considered fully vaccinated.
The release of the booster doses does not mean that the original vaccines are not still working. According to the CDC, all COVID-19 vaccines are still very effective at preventing severe illness that could lead to hospitalization and/or death, even against the Delta variant that is spreading throughout the U.S. The booster shots will aid those at increased risk of infection in preventing more mild to moderate illness and symptoms from the COVID-19 virus.
Common side effects of the booster shots are similar to those reported from the original doses, including fatigue, injection site pain, chills, muscle aches, fever and nausea. These are all normal responses to receiving the vaccine, and simply mean your body is doing its job in building immunity. They do not mean you have COVID-19.
On October 26, two new state-sponsored locations were opened to administer COVID-19 booster shots: Brockton Vaccination & Booster Clinic at Shaw’s Center, and Danvers Vaccination & Booster Clinic. The Brockton Clinic will be offering all three boosters at their location, and has the capacity to administer 450 doses a day. Danvers Clinic will only be administering Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson, with the capacity for 300 doses a day. Both hope to increase to a capacity of 1,000 doses daily. Walk-ins are accepted at both locations, each with language translation services for those with limited English proficiency. Additional locations can be found at vaxfinder.mass.gov.
