• Mayo Clinic rolls out COVID-19 booster vaccinations for all adults

a Mayo Clinic medical staff person wearing gloves administering a COVID-19 vaccine in a white woman's arm

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices approved Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 booster vaccinations for adults ― meaning anyone 18 and older ― at its meeting Friday, Nov. 19. This is in addition to groups previously approved for boosters, such as health care workers and those age 65 and older.

Mayo Clinic will roll out COVID-19 booster vaccinations to all adults, beginning the week of Monday, Nov. 22.

"A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine shows that people who received a Pfizer COVID-19 booster vaccination were 11 times more protected from infection, compared to those who have completed their initial two-dose vaccination series," says Abinash Virk, M.D., Infectious Diseases. "Getting a booster vaccination increases your protection against a breakthrough case of COVID-19, and increases your safety, as well as the safety of family members, friends, colleagues, patients, visitors and community members, during the holiday season."

The Food and Drug Administration issued emergency use authorization in September for Pfizer COVID-19 booster vaccinations. This was followed by the FDA's emergency use authorization in October for COVID-19 booster vaccinations for Johnson & Johnson and Moderna.

Mayo Clinic strongly recommends that all staff members ― and all adults ― receive a COVID-19 booster vaccination as soon as possible if they are at least six months past their initial Moderna or Pfizer vaccination series, or at least two months past their initial Johnson & Johnson vaccination.

If you are eligible to receive a COVID-19 booster vaccination, check COVID-19 vaccination options by Mayo Clinic location. Eligible patients and staff also can seek a booster vaccination through a community vaccination site or local pharmacy.

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Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting. Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific understanding, along with guidelines and recommendations, may have changed since the original publication date

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