On March 31, Johnson County Department of Health and Environment will begin administering second booster doses of COVID-19 to those who are eligible.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment have endorsed a second booster with the following requirements for eligibility:

• A second booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine may be administered to individuals 50 years of age and older at least four months after receiving a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine.
• In addition, CDC recommends adults who received a primary vaccine and booster dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine at least four months ago may now receive a second booster dose using an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna).
• A second booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine may be administered to individuals 12 years of age and older with certain kinds of immunocompromise at least four months after receipt of a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine. These are people who have undergone solid organ transplantation, or who are living with conditions that are considered to have an equivalent level of immunocompromise.
• A second booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine may be administered at least four months after the first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine to individuals 18 years of age and older with the same certain kinds of immunocompromise.

 JCDHE will begin offering second boosters on March 31 to those who are eligible at its Mission COVID-19 vaccination clinic, located at 6000 Lamar Ave. Clinic hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on a walk-in, first come, first served basis. Starting April 5, the Mission clinic will be open on a walk-in basis on Tuesdays only from 1-6:30 p.m.

Boosters are also available at other providers, including physician offices, pharmacies and grocery stores or by visiting https://www.vaccines.gov/.

“COVID-19 boosters strengthen the protection against severe outcomes from COVID-19. As we have seen with Omicron and other SARS-CoV-2 variants, the risk from COVID-19 continues. The vaccines are safe and effective, and we urge all those who are eligible to receive their first, second or booster doses” said Sanmi Areola, PhD, JCDHE director.

Those with questions about booster shots can call 913-715-2819 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.