New Yorkers receive COVID-19 vaccines at New York State Vaccination Site at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem (Governor’s Office via Flickr)
Nov. 15, 2021 By Christian Murray
Most New York City adults will now be able to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot.
NYC Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi issued an advisory Monday that allows residents 18 years and older to get a booster shot, as long as it has been at least six months since they received a Moderna or Pfizer dose.
The requirement is just two months for those who received the Johnson & Johnson dose.
To date, the booster has largely been restricted to people 65 years and older as well as New Yorkers with underlying health conditions. Approximately 630,000 residents have already received a booster shot.
“There should be no barriers to accessing a booster shot, provided that someone is an adult, meaning 18 or older,” Chokshi said. “We don’t want anyone turned away from a booster dose.”
With an uptick in COVID-19 across the U.S. and Europe, Mitchell Katz, president and CEO of New York City Health + Hospitals, said expanding eligibility for boosters can help the city avoid another wave.
“I view all New Yorkers, because of the density of our city, of being at higher risk,” he said. “And I think this …. will get us further and help us prevent a similar situation as what is occurring in Germany.”
Officials say that the booster will add another layer of protection in time for winter.
