The Georgia Department of Public Health announced in a press release that Georgia’s health districts will begin offering booster doses of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines on October 26, pending CDC guidance.
This follows on the heels of the CDC announcement on October 21 recommending booster shots of all three available vaccines for certain populations.
The following groups are eligible for a booster shot at 6 months or more after their initial 2-dose series of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines:
- 65 years and older
- Age 18+ who live in long-term care settings
- Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions
- Age 18+ who work or live in high-risk setting
For those who received the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine, booster shots are recommended for those who are 18 and older and who were vaccinated two or more months ago.
CDC recommendations now allow for mix and match, so you can either get the same brand of vaccine you got before or choose one of the others.
According to the GDPH press release:
Not all types of vaccine will be available at all sites. For information about COVID vaccines or to schedule a vaccination appointment visit dph.ga.gov/covid-vaccine or vaccinefinder.org.
More than 50% of Georgians remain unvaccinated for COVID-19, leaving themselves – and their children, families, loved ones, and communities– vulnerable to infection. DPH urges all eligible Georgians to get vaccinated to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Georgia and to save lives.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also issued a press release on the expansion of booster options.
In the press release, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky stated:
These recommendations are another example of our fundamental commitment to protect as many people as possible from COVID-19. The evidence shows that all three COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the United States are safe – as demonstrated by the over 400 million vaccine doses already given. And, they are all highly effective in reducing the risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death, even in the midst of the widely circulating Delta variant.
