Published: 10/29/2021

THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH BEGAN OFFERING BOOSTER DOSES OF COVID-19 VACCINES TO CERTAIN POPULATIONS, ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 25.

FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO RECEIVED A PFIZER-BIONTECH OR MODERNA COVID-19 VACCINE, THE FOLLOWING GROUPS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A BOOSTER SHOT AT 6 MONTHS OR MORE AFTER THEY COMPLETE THE INITIAL SERIES:

• 65 YEARS AND OLDER

• AGE 18+ WHO LIVE IN LONG-TERM CARE SETTINGS

• AGE 18+ WHO HAVE UNDERLYING MEDICAL CONDITIONS

• AGE 18+ WHO WORK OR LIVE IN HIGH-RISK SETTINGS

INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE 18 YEARS AND OLDER AND RECEIVED THE SINGLE-SHOT JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINE, A BOOSTER DOSE IS RECOMMENDED AT TWO OR MORE MONTHS AFTER THE INITIAL VACCINE.

ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS MAY CHOOSE WHICH VACCINE THEY RECEIVE AS A BOOSTER DOSE. MORE INFORMATION ON THE CDC’S RECOMMENDATION FOR A BOOSTER DOSE IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT HTTPS://WWW.CDC.GOV/CORONAVIRUS/2019-NCOV/INDEX.HTML.

LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE STATE WILL BE ADMINISTERING COVID-19 BOOSTER DOSES. NOT ALL TYPES OF VACCINE WILL BE AVAILABLE AT ALL SITES. INDIVIDUALS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CHECK VACCINES.GOV TO FIND A LOCATION THAT IS OFFERING THEIR PREFERRED COVID-19 VACCINE. INFORMATION ON APPOINTMENT AVAILABILITY AT LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS CAN BE FOUND AT HTTPS://COVID19.TN.GOV/COVID-19-VACCINES/AVAILABILITY/. APPOINTMENTS ARE ENCOURAGED BUT NOT REQUIRED. BOOSTER VACCINES ARE ALSO WIDELY AVAILABLE FROM PHARMACIES, MEDICAL CLINICS, AND OTHER SITES.