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By Miriam Raftery
October 3, 2021 (Washington D.C.) – If you’ve been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19 for at least six months, you’re eligible for a booster shot now if you are in any of these categories, according to new information published September 30 on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control website:
- 65 years and older
- Age 18+ with underlying medical conditions (the list of conditions is long and includes common conditions such as high blood pressure and being overweight)
- Age 18+ who live in long-term care settings (such as nursing homes)
- Age 18+ who live in high-risk settings (such as homeless shelters)
- Age 18+ who work in high-risk settings (including school employees, healthcare workers, first responders such as police and firefighters, food and agricultural workers, manufacturing employees, prison employees, postal service workers, public transit workers, and grocery store employees.
The list of medical conditions that can allow a person age 18 and up to get the Pfizer booster vaccine include:
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- Chronic lung diseases including COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma (moderate-to-severe), interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis, and pulmonary hypertension
- Dementia or other neurological diseases
- Diabetes (type 1 or type 2)
- Down syndrome
- Heart conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies or hypertension (high blood pressure)
- HIV
- Immune-compromising conditions
- Liver disease
- Overweight or obese
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell disease or thalassemia
- Smokers and former smokers
- Organ or blood stem cell transplants, including bone marrow transplants
- Stroke or cerebrovascular disease
- Substance use disorders (such as alcohol, opioid, or cocaine)
There are over 400 locations where San Diegans can get vaccinated against COVID-19. They include doctor’s offices, retail pharmacies (Rite Aid, Walgreens, CVS, etc.), community clinics and County public health centers.
Nearly 80% of eligible San Diegans are now fully vaccinated. There are plenty of COVID-19 vaccines available in the region for booster shots and for San Diegans who have not yet been vaccinated.
San Diegans are encouraged to visit MyTurn to make an appointment or find a walk-in clinic that is offering the Pfizer vaccine booster shot or other COVID-19 vaccines. You can also find a complete list of locations at coronavirus-sd.com.
If you received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine, boosters have not yet been approved.
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