Booster shots are now available in NC. Here’s who is eligible and how to get one

Booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine are now available for certain individuals at high risk for serious illness or exposure to COVID-19.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said Friday that eligible North Carolinians who have been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine for six months or more can get a booster shot.

The announcement came after both the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorized booster doses for certain high risk groups last week.

“Many of the people who are now eligible to receive a booster shot received their initial vaccine early in the vaccination program and will benefit from additional protection,” the CDC said in a news release.

The shots are being approved for certain individuals at high risk for illness or exposure due to the more transmissible delta variant’s “dominance” as the strain of COVID-19 circulating throughout the country, and the resultant rise in cases, the CDC said.

Here’s what you need to know to see if you qualify for the booster shot, and where you can get one.

Who is eligible for a booster shot?

As of now, booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine are only available for individuals who were initially vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine as well. People who received the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are not currently eligible for a Pfizer booster dose.

Of the people who were vaccinated with Pfizer shots, and for whom it has been at least six months since their second shot, the CDC recommends booster doses for the following:

▪ People 65 or older, or residents of nursing homes or other long-term care facilities, should get a booster shot.

▪ People between 50 and 64 with certain underlying medical conditions that make them more likely to become severely ill from COVID-19 should get a booster shot. Those conditions include cancer, chronic lung diseases like COPD, asthma, cystic fibrosis and others; diabetes (type 1 or 2); heart conditions like heart failure or coronary artery disease; being immunocompromised, or being overweight or obese.

▪ People between 18 and 49 with any of those underlying medical conditions may get a booster shot.

▪ People between 18 and 49 who work in high-risk settings may get a booster shot. Those could include health care workers, teachers and child care providers, or food workers, according to the N.C. health department.

Where can I get a booster shot in NC?

Those eligible for a booster shot can get one from their health care provider, at a pharmacy, or at another location where COVID-19 vaccines have been available, the N.C. health department said.

You do not have to get your booster shot from the same place where you were originally vaccinated, since most locations are offering Pfizer vaccines.

Wake County

Wake County has said it will begin offering booster shots at its five vaccination locations once they’ve been approved. All locations are currently requiring appointments, which can be made at https://www.wakegov.com/covid-19-information/get-your-covid-19-shot.

The News & Observer has asked the county when it will begin administering booster shots. Here’s where Wake County is currently administering shots under expanded hours:

▪ Wake County Human Services Center, 5809 Departure Drive, Raleigh

Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

▪ Wake County Public Health Center, 10 Sunnybrook Road, Raleigh

Hours: Monday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday, 11:45 a.m. to 7:15 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

▪ Wake County Northern Regional Center, 350 E. Holding Ave., Wake Forest

Hours: Monday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday, 11:45 a.m. to 7:15 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

▪ Wake County Southern Regional Center, 130 N. Judd Parkway NE, Fuquay-Varina

Hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 11:45 a.m. to 7:15 p.m.; Wednesday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

▪ Wake County Eastern Regional Center, 1002 Dogwood Drive, Zebulon

Hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 11:45 a.m. to 7:15 p.m.; Wednesday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

CVS & Walgreens

Booster shots are available at CVS and Walgreens pharmacies. You can schedule an appointment at your local CVS at https://bit.ly/3B0iQgz and Walgreens at https://bit.ly/2UoXGsI.

Walmart & Sam’s Club

Pharmacies at Walmart and Sam’s Club stores are also offering booster shots, Walmart announced Friday. Appointments can be scheduled online at walmart.com/covid or samsclub.com/covid. Both chains have walk-in availability as well.

North Carolina

You can find a location by visiting MySpot.nc.gov or calling the North Carolina COVID-19 vaccine help center at 888-675-4567.

This story will be updated as more locations offering booster shots are announced.