Lord Fairfax Health District offering Pfizer-BioNTech booster COVID-19 vaccines

Vaccination Update
Page Valley News will have continuing coverage of the vaccination efforts in our community.

~ Press release issued by the Lord Fairfax Health District

WINCHESTER —  As of Sept. 30, the Virginia Department of Health’s Lord Fairfax Health District (LFHD) began offering vaccine boosters for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) below. 

The booster vaccine can be obtained any time after 6 months from the date of the second Pfizer vaccine shot

Please note that only those who have received two shots of Pfizer vaccine and meet the following criteria are eligible:

●      people 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings should receive a booster shot of Pfizer vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer primary series;

●      people aged 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions should receive a booster shot of Pfizer vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer primary series;

●      people aged 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions may receive a booster shot of Pfizer vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks;

●      people aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a booster shot of Pfizer vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks.

Lord Fairfax Health District (LFHD) encourages all eligible persons to get their COVID-19 vaccine if they haven’t already done so. To find a nearby vaccination site, visit vase.vdh.virginia.gov or visit www.vaccines.gov.

“The COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness may decrease slowly after six months, but people still have strong protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death,” said Dr. Colin Greene, director of LFHD. “The CDC recommends that the booster dose be given six months or more after the second shot, but individuals who have not yet received a booster will still be considered fully vaccinated.”

LFHD will offer COVID-19 boosters on a walk-in basis at all five local health department clinics. Look for the sign outside the clinic.

Again, those who received Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are not authorized for booster doses at this time. Additional recommendations regarding these vaccines are expected in the coming weeks.

Those coming for a booster dose, should wear a mask and bring their vaccine card to confirm the date and type of vaccine received for the second dose. It is recommended to wait at the clinic site for 15 minutes after receiving the booster dose.

For more information on COVID-19 in Virginia, visit vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus. Find convenient, free vaccination locations near you by visiting vaccinate.virginia.gov or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1).

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