PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The City of Philadelphia will begin on Saturday to give Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster doses to certain eligible people who have already received the Pfizer vaccine.
The Montgomery County Office of Public Health also said it will start issuing the same Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster shot starting Monday, while people in New Jersey can receive that booster shot immediately if they are eligible.
Philadelphia, the New Jersey and Montgomery County health officials said that people who have received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine at least six months ago are eligible if:
- They are 65 or older
- They live in a nursing home
- They are 50 to 64 years old with an underlying medical condition that puts them at risk of serious complications from COVID-19
The CDC also says these people who have received the Pfizer vaccine can receive the booster shot if they received their second dose at least six months ago and qualify in one of these areas:
1) They are 18 to 49 years old and have underlying medical conditions
2) As the city describes it, "They work in higher-risk jobs like healthcare workers, teachers, or in other higher-risk occupational or institutional settings."
The Health Department cites research showing that immunity for those who have received two doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine have had "waning immunity over time, though the vaccine still provides impressive protection against severe disease, hospitalization and death."
"We want to make sure we make these boosters available to the people who’ve just become eligible, and that’s a pretty wide swath of people who received their second dose of Pfizer at least six months ago," said Philadelphia Health Department Acting Director Dr. Cheryl Bettigole.
"We’re giving the booster to prevent the more severe outcomes, but we’ll probably see fewer milder cases or asymptomatic cases with that booster."
Philadelphia said that the Pfizer vaccine booster would be available at any location where the first or second Pfizer vaccine is being issued. That includes drug stores, health centers and vaccine clinics.
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The booster is simply a third shot of the same vaccine given in the first two doses.
In addition to drug stores throughout the area, Philadelphia’s vaccine clinic at Community Academy, at 1100 Erie Avenue, will be giving shots Saturday.
The New Jersey Department of Health has told groups giving out vaccinations that they can begin to issue Pfizer vaccine booster doses immediately to those who are eligible.
The state says individuals can self-identify at any of the 1,000-plus vaccination sites that offer the Pfizer vaccine. People can click here to find a vaccine site and book an appointment, or call the New Jersey vaccine center at 1-855-568-0545.
Montgomery County said that they are taking appointments from county residents for vaccine booster shots starting Monday at their vaccination clinics. Click here for more information and to sign up.
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Their four clinics include:
- Bethel Community Church of Pottstown, 575 North Keim Street, Pottstown; Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Human Services Center (First Floor, Community Room), 1430 DeKalb Street, Norristown; Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- King of Prussia Mall at the Court (Third Floor, former Thomasville Furniture) 640 W. Dekalb Pike, Suite 3010, King of Prussia; Mondays, 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesdays 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Fridays 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- Willow Grove Parkside Shopping Center (former Petco) 2522 West Moreland Road, Willow Grove; Mondays, 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesdays 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Fridays 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Click here for more information on Montgomery County's COVID-19 vaccine distributions.
No boosters have yet been approved for the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
These booster vaccine opportunities came on the day that Gov. Tom Wolf said that 85% of Pennsylvania adults have received their first COVID-19 vaccine.
