How To Get A Coronavirus Booster Shot In New York City

All adults living in New York City are officially eligible to receive coronavirus booster shots, following decisions taken Friday by federal regulators to extend the eligibility for shots across the country beyond those with underlying conditions, living or working in high-risk environments or is over. 65.

The decisions of the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention brought federal guidance in line with how New York City officials had already begun to interpret it. City leaders on Monday advised health professionals not to reject adults seeking boosters, provided that enough time had passed since they were first vaccinated.

A spokesman for Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday that 732,000 adults have received booster shots so far in New York City.

“Let’s get that number up a lot more, especially as we get ready for the colder months,” Mr. de Blasio said this week. “That’s how we fight back Covid in the colder months, and that’s how we get ready for something amazing: the holidays.”

Here’s what you need to know about getting a coronavirus booster shot in New York City.

Who qualifies for booster shots?

On Friday, the FDA approved Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna boosters for all adults, provided that at least six months have elapsed since completing the first two-dose regimen. Then the CDC approved the boosters later on Friday, after the panel of independent experts recommended them.

All adults who received a single dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccine are also eligible for a booster, as long as at least two months have elapsed since receiving the injection.

Where can I get my booster shot in New York City?

New Yorkers can get booster shots in a variety of places, including pop-up vans and buses, churches, local pharmacies, local health clinics and even at home.

To stay up to date on the rotating schedule of pop-up and mobile sites, go to the city’s Vaccine Command Center.

How can I schedule my booster appointment?

Appointments can be ordered through the city’s vaccine search site, pharmacy sites such as Walgreens or GPs.

You can call 877-VAX-4NYC to find city-run vaccination sites, get a ride to your appointment if you are elderly or have a disability, and get help planning a free home visit. Home visits can also be arranged via this form.

On the vaccine finder’s website, you can choose the type of booster you want to receive and the place that is best for you. The website will ask you when you received your last vaccine shot to confirm that you are eligible for a booster.

Many adults have been able to make appointments easily and have not had to deal with long queues or waiting times, unlike when the vaccine first became available.

Walk-in booster shots are also available in many urban areas.

Does it matter what booster shot I get?

Adults can “mix and match” their booster shots, which means they do not necessarily have to choose the same brand of vaccine that they first received. There is some evidence that mixing vaccines provides a stronger immune response.

What do health experts say about booster shots?

A booster shot is just one tool used to slow the spread of the coronavirus, but it is effective, said Dr. Denis Nash, professor of epidemiology at City University of New York Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy.

“There is a debate in the scientific community about where we can have the greatest impact on public health,” said Dr. Nash. “Is it through boosters? Is it through emphasizing the first shot for people who have not received anything, especially for the young people who just qualified for vaccines? Is it in the area of ​​testing and attempts to improve the availability of tests? »

Dr. Nash said there was an argument for each of these measures. He added that the researchers were sure that people over 65 and those with comorbidity should get booster shots, and that the researchers still gathered evidence of the effect of giving boosters to all adults.

“We do not know for sure, but it may be that if we have more people who get the boosters every now and then have an increase, we will be happy that we did,” said Mr. Nash, pointing to what is happening in the United Kingdom. and Germany, where there are significant increases in cases of coronavirus despite high vaccination rates.

Coronavirus cases in New York City have been on the rise recently, according to a New York Times database: The daily average of cases was 1240 on Thursday, which is 17 percent higher than it was two weeks ago. The average hospitalization rate fell by 12 per cent in the same time period.

Dr. Ashish K. Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, supported New York City’s earlier decision to expand the possibility of booster shots, saying the conflicting information surrounding the shots could be confusing to some people.

“There’s all this confusion about who should get a booster, when should you get a booster, what kind of booster,” he said. “I think what New York City is doing is following the evidence, and the evidence is that really everyone benefits from a booster.”