Booster doses available for qualifying residents who received previously the Pfizer vaccine series
Harris County Public Health (HCPH) is now administering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine booster to qualifying residents who received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine at least six months ago. All COVID-19 vaccines provide strong protection for most people. A booster vaccine in an additional dose given after the protection provided by the original series has begun to decrease over time. The Pfizer booster helps certain groups of people maintain their level of immunity longer.
Who should get a Pfizer booster:
o Residents of long-term care facilities who are age 18 and older
o People age 65 and older
o People ages 50-64 years old with underlying medical conditions
Who may get a Pfizer booster:
o People ages 18-49 with underlying medical conditions
o People ages 18-64 whose work or living situation increases their risk of exposure or transmission (more info at CDC):
- First responders (healthcare workers, firefighters, police, congregate care staff)
- Education staff (teachers, support staff, daycare workers)
- Food and agriculture workers
- Manufacturing workers
- Corrections workers
- U.S. Postal Service workers
- Public transit workers
- Grocery store workers
The Pfizer booster dose has the same formulation as the initial series, and getting the booster ensures the COVID-19 vaccine will continue to be effective in preventing infection, hospitalization and death. Booster doses are not currently authorized or recommended for people who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
Additional Doses
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised should receive an additional dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least 28 days after the initial two doses. This includes recipients of organ or stem cell transplants, people with advanced or untreated HIV infection, active recipients of treatment for cancer, people taking medications that weaken the immune system, and others. A full list of conditions can be found on the CDC’s website.
Fully vaccinated people with weakened immune systems do not get as much protection as people with healthy immune systems. The additional dose helps boosts their immunity to the level of fully vaccinated people who are not immunocompromised. For people who received either Pfizer or Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine series, an additional dose of the same vaccine should be used.
Please contact your healthcare provider to find out if an additional dose or booster is recommended for you. Additional doses and the Pfizer vaccine booster are free at HCPH designated sites and vaccine appointments are not required, although they are recommended. Go to vacstrac.hctx.net or call 832-927-8787. To find a location near you click here. Please remember to bring your COVID-19 vaccination card with you to receive a booster shot.