The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday, Oct. 21, endorsed recommendations for booster shots of both the Moderna and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccines. The Pfizer booster was earlier approved for a limited group on Sept. 24. 

In anticipation of federal approval of the Moderna and J&J boosters, Johnson County Department of Health and Environment has been preparing for these additional vaccinations and will begin offering these shots of Moderna and J&J by appointment starting Oct. 25, at the Mission clinic located at 6000 Lamar Ave. Appointments can be scheduled at jocogov.org/coronavirus. Boosters are also available at other providers, including physician offices, pharmacies and grocery stores.

“The actions taken by the FDA and CDC this week will allow us to provide additional protection to more of our population in our ongoing efforts to control the spread of COVID-19. If you are eligible for a booster shot or you’re not fully vaccinated, please get vaccinated as soon as possible,” said Sanmi Areola, PhD, JCDHE director. “We continue to see highly effective protection against hospitalizations, deaths and severe outcomes for people who are fully vaccinated.”

Individuals who qualify for the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech booster dose may begin immediately to get these booster doses from their health care provider, pharmacy or any authorized distributor.

CDC recommends the Moderna and Pfizer boosters be administered at least six months after the second dose. The following individuals are eligible to receive a booster shot:

• Those 65 years and older
• Individuals age 18+ who live in long-term care settings
• Individuals age 18+ with underlying medical conditions
• Individuals age 18+ who live or work in high-risk settings

Booster doses are not available to individuals under the age of 18.

Individuals age 18 and older who received one dose of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine two or more months ago are now eligible for a booster dose from their health care provider, pharmacy or any authorized distributor. Eligible individuals may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose. Some people may have a preference for the vaccine type that they originally received and others may prefer to get a different booster. CDC’s recommendations now allow for this type of mix-and-match dosing for booster shots.

Those with questions about booster shots and residents in need of assistance to
schedule their booster appointments can call 913-826-1200 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. They can also send an email to jcdhe@jocogov.org. Emails are answered 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Spanish speakers will be available to answer calls or emails.

Those who are eligible can search for a nearby vaccine provider by visiting vaccines.gov,
texting their ZIP code to 438829 or calling 1-800-232-0233. 

JCDHE reports that overall, 69.5% of eligible persons in Johnson County, Kansas, are at least partially vaccinated, and 64.3% of eligible people are fully vaccinated.