Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) is now offering COVID-19 booster vaccines for moderately to severely immunocompromised people, following new state and federal health guidelines. CCHS recommends checking with your healthcare provider if you have questions about whether a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is right for you, and to schedule your booster appointment through your healthcare provider if possible.
An additional dose of either Pfizer or Moderna vaccine may be a healthy choice for people with certain health conditions, such as patients receiving cancer treatment, organ transplant recipients, people with advanced HIV or severe primary immunodeficiency, or people using medicines that suppress the immune system. We ask anyone seeking a booster in Contra Costa to attest that they have a qualifying medical condition.
Contra Costa County has appointments and plenty of the vaccine available, both for booster doses and for residents who are 12 or older and still thinking about getting vaccinated, which remains the single most effective protection against COVID-19.
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) have issued a statement that booster doses may be available for more people as soon as September, 8 months after their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. “At that time, the individuals who were fully vaccinated earliest in the vaccination rollout, including many health care providers, nursing home residents, and other seniors, will likely be eligible for a booster. We would also begin efforts to deliver booster shots directly to residents of long-term care facilities at that time, given the distribution of vaccines to this population early in the vaccine rollout and the continued increased risk that COVID-19 poses to them”, said the CDC in their statement. The CDC is still awaiting additional information before making an announcement about those who had Johnson and Johnson vaccines.
People with one of the health conditions listed above seeking booster doses can schedule online or phone 1-833-829-2626 for an appointment. Click here for more information about vaccination and appointments.