President Biden recently made national news when he rolled up his shirt sleeve and got a COVID-19 booster shot. This public display was part of an announcement that third doses of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are recommended for people 65 and up, residents in long-term care facilities and some who are immunocompromised. Workers at high risk of repeated exposure due to their jobs, such as health care staff, teachers and grocery store workers, are also eligible.
Those who qualify should talk to their physician or a health care professional to determine if they need the booster. As of October 5, 608,332 people were vaccinated with an additional dose here in Texas. There should be no out-of-pocket cost to get the vaccine or booster.
Where to get them?
All the usual places will have boosters, including CVS, Costco, Walgreens, Sam’s Club, etc. Some sites are accepting walk-ins, which is a far cry from the initial rollout of the vaccines. Some employers and private organizations are also providing them. The federal website Vaccines.gov helps those interested search locations by zip code. They can also text 438829 or by calling 800-232-0233.
What about those in nursing homes?
The program that provided first and second doses on-site to long-term care facilities in late 2020 and early 2021 has ended. However, the federal government allocates shots and boosters for those who received the Pfizer shots to pharmacies that partner with a long-term care facility. As before, the shots will be administered on-site. If the facility does not have a partnership with a specific pharmacy can work with state or federal agencies to get vaccines.
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