Where Can You Get A Booster Shot?

Key TakeawaysCOVID-19 booster shots are now available to all individuals 5 and older in the United States.You can mix and match your booster shot if you are 18 or older; those 5–17 can only receive a Pfizer booster.You can receive the booster shot at any location that offers COVID-19 vaccines.

Key Takeaways

COVID-19 booster shots are now available to all individuals 5 and older in the United States.You can mix and match your booster shot if you are 18 or older; those 5–17 can only receive a Pfizer booster.You can receive the booster shot at any location that offers COVID-19 vaccines.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends all fully vaccinated people over the age of 5 in the United States get at least one COVID-19 booster shot.The authorization expanded on the eligibility criteria the FDA previously set.

More than 102.8 million Americans had received a first booster dose as of May 23, 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),and that number should be on the rise with the recent FDA and CDC recommendations. In the coming months, this change will allow millions more Americans to get additional protection.

Robert Quigley, MD, DPhil, Senior Vice President and Global Medical Director of International SOS, told Verywell that the vaccines “have been a critical part of recovering from the pandemic, and booster shots act as an extension of that momentum and protection—especially right before we enter the winter season at which time social distancing will be that much more complicated.”

The original vaccine series is still very effective at protecting people against severe COVID illness that requires hospitalization. However, boosters are recommended because data has shown that theeffectiveness of the first shotscan decrease over time. That means that Americans might be more vulnerable to breakthrough infections, especially asnew variants of the virus emerge.

“We’ve seen that there has been an increase in infections and hospitalizations of those who are not fully vaccinated,” Quigley said. “It has been suggested that the COVID-19 vaccines lose their strength in protection over an extended period of time."

Getting a booster shot protects you and the people that you come into contact with as you go about your daily life—some of whommight need extra protectionbecause they’re at a higher risk of getting sick or having complications if they do.

All U.S. Adults Are Now Eligible for a COVID Booster

Where Can I Get a Booster?

Although each state handles its vaccine rollout differently, you should be able to find free COVID-19 booster shots at the same locations where the original series of vaccinations were offered, such as doctors' offices, pharmacies, hospitals, schools, and community-sponsored events.

When Can You Get a Booster Shot?

You can also check your state’s website to find out where you can get a vaccine or booster. For example, California offersMyTurn, New York state offersCOVID-19 Vaccine, and Florida has created theFlorida COVID-19 Responsewebsite to help its citizens find a vaccination site. Your county health website may have additional information as well.

What This Means For You

Children and teens 5–17 years old may only get a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster.

If you got the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna shots first, you need to wait five months from your second dose to get a booster. If you got the Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccine, you can get a booster of your choice after two months.

People 12 years of age and older with certain kinds of immunocompromise and all people age 50+ who have received an initial mRNA booster dose at least four months ago are eligible for a second booster dose.

Adults who have received a primary vaccine and booster dose of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine at least four months ago can now receive a second booster using an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

You can look for appointmentshere.

FDA: It’s OK to Mix and Match COVID Booster Shots

Do Boosters Have Side Effects?

No matter which booster you receive, it is possible to experiencemild side effectssimilar to those you might have had after your first doses, including:

What’s the Difference Between Third Doses and COVID Boosters?

The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.

5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Interim clinical considerations for use of COVID-19 vaccines currently approved or authorized in the United States.Food and Drug Administration.Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: FDA takes multiple actions to expand use of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19 vaccinations in the United States.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19 vaccine booster shots.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.CDC recommends additional boosters for certain individuals.

5 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Interim clinical considerations for use of COVID-19 vaccines currently approved or authorized in the United States.Food and Drug Administration.Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: FDA takes multiple actions to expand use of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19 vaccinations in the United States.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19 vaccine booster shots.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.CDC recommends additional boosters for certain individuals.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Interim clinical considerations for use of COVID-19 vaccines currently approved or authorized in the United States.Food and Drug Administration.Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: FDA takes multiple actions to expand use of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19 vaccinations in the United States.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19 vaccine booster shots.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.CDC recommends additional boosters for certain individuals.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Interim clinical considerations for use of COVID-19 vaccines currently approved or authorized in the United States.

Food and Drug Administration.Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: FDA takes multiple actions to expand use of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19 vaccinations in the United States.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19 vaccine booster shots.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.CDC recommends additional boosters for certain individuals.

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