City of Long Beach, CA
09/24/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/24/2021 16:16
City to Begin Administering COVID-19 Pfizer Booster
Long Beach, CA - Starting today, the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) will begin offering COVID-19 boosters in addition to the continued administration of first and second doses. The boosters, which apply only to people who received the Pfizer vaccine (now known as Comirnaty) at least six months ago, will be available to people who meet one of the following criteria:
- Ages 65 and older Residents of long term care facilities
- Ages 18 to 64 with underlying medical conditions
- Ages 18 and older with high institutional or occupational risk, including healthcare workers, first responders, teachers and day care staff, grocery workers and workers in homeless shelters or prisons
Eligible people should first consider receiving boosters through their healthcare provider or at the many local pharmacies administering the booster. The Health Department also will administer boosters at all of its usual vaccine clinic sites, which operate six days a week; up-to-date schedules can be found at longbeach.gov/vaxlb or by calling 562.570.4636.
People who received Pfizer vaccine and are eligible via the above guidelines should consult their vaccine records and count forward six months from their second dose to see when they can receive the booster. In order to receive a booster through City-run vaccination sites today, a person would need to have received their second dose of Pfizer vaccine on or after March 24, 2021. People should bring their vaccine cards showing proof of two Pfizer doses. Self-attestation stating that a person meets age, health condition or employment requirements will be required to receive a booster.
People who are eligible for boosters are encouraged to make an appointment via MyTurn.ca.gov, where they can schedule appointments in Long Beach as well as the surrounding areas. The City is actively planning to add appointments to accommodate the demand for boosters, including opening additional clinics.
Vaccine has proven to be effective, even against the widely circulating Delta variant, but that protection decreases over time and federal health officials said a booster dose could prolong the vaccine's longevity. The Pfizer vaccine booster has received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration and has also been approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
It remains critical that everyone 12 years old and older get vaccinated, and that people who receive Pfizer or Moderna vaccines get both doses. Nearly all cases of severe disease, hospitalization and death from COVID-19 continue to occur among those not yet fully vaccinated.
People who received the Moderna and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccines may require a booster in the future, but the timing and eligibility are still being determined by the FDA. No boosters are currently available or authorized for moderna or Janssen at this time. MyTurn has been updated to reflect the new guidance for boosters at MyTurn.ca.gov, and information about third doses for those who are immune compromised can be found here.