KENT COUNTY, Mich. — The Kent County Health Department (KCHD) announced that it is ready to provide COVID-19 booster shots starting Tuesday.
This comes after the CDC recommended that certain at-risk populations receive a third dose, but the recommendation only applies to individuals who received a Pfizer vaccine at least six months ago.
The current populations encouraged to receive a third dose are:
- People 65 years and older.
- Residents in long-term care settings aged 18 years or older.
- People aged 50-64 years with underlying medical conditions.
In addition, the following groups may be eligible to receive a third dose:
- People aged 18-49 years with underlying medical conditions.
- People aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of their occupational or institutional (residential) setting. This groups includes adults aged 18-64 years who work or reside in settings such as health care, schools, congregant care facilities, correctional facilities or homeless shelters. This group also includes front line essential workers such as first responders (firefighters, police and EMS), food and agriculture workers, manufacturing workers, U.S. Postal Service workers, public transit workers and grocery store workers.
Currently, the CDC has not released booster shot guidelines for the Moderna or Johnson and Johnson vaccines. A recommendation is expected in the coming weeks, the KCHD says.
A clinic will be held at all three KCHD clinic locations. More information on who is recommended to receive a third COVID-19 vaccine can be found here.
The KCHD is encouraging those who have not yet received a first dose of the vaccine to schedule an appointment.
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