NEW YORK (WCBS 880) – New York City is advising health care providers to give COVID-19 booster shots to all vaccinated adults who are due for one and request it, and now New Jersey has followed suit.
The city's health commissioner, Dr. Dave Chokshi, said at a Monday briefing that he's issuing a commissioner’s advisory to all health care providers “emphasizing our guidance and ensuring there are no access barriers.”
He said clinicians should allow patients 18 years and older “to determine their own risk of exposure based on their own individual circumstances.”
“In practice, this means that providers should not turn their patient away if they request a booster,” Chokshi said. “So long as they’re 18 and older and it has been at least six months since a Moderna or Pfizer dose, or at least two months since a Johnson & Johnson dose.”
Chokshi said he’s also urging all health care providers to “proactively reach out” to booster-eligible patients, including those over 65 years old, those with medical conditions, and those who’ve received a dose of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The commissioner's move comes even as current federal guidelines limit booster shots to people 65 years and older; people 18+ who live in long-term care settings; people 18+ who have underlying medical conditions; people 18+ who work or live in high-risk settings; and recipients of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine who got their shot two or more months ago.
Meanwhile, in New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy has also approved booster shots for all residents over the age of 18. Though, he acknowledged that those who are immunocompromised, or older than 65, should be first in line.
“If you're over 65 years old and it's been six months since your last dose of either Pfizer or Moderna, or two months after you [Johnson & Johnson] shot, get a booster,” the governor said.
He added: “If you're 18 years of age or over, and you’re at higher risk because of either a preexisting health condition, or conditions in your workplace, and if you too are outside of those time windows, get a booster.”
The governor said that guidelines will become clearer over the next coming weeks on who should be getting a booster shot, and noted that boosters are “the direction we are going to be headed.”
In a statement Monday afternoon, Gov. Kathy Hochul also said she was “strongly encouraging all New Yorkers who live or work in a high-risk setting to get the booster.”
“I received the booster, and believe no one who feels they are at risk should be turned away from getting a COVID-19 booster shot. If you feel at risk, please get the booster,” the governor said.
As of Monday, more than 630,000 New Yorkers have gotten a COVID-19 booster shot, Chokshi said.
The commissioner said COVID-19 hospitalizations remain low in the five boroughs but that “we are seeing an uptick in cases in recent days.”
“We had anticipated that this may occur as the weather gets cooler and people spend more time indoors,” he said.
More information about booster shots can be found at nyc.gov/covidvaccine or by calling 212-COVID19.