COLUMBIA, Pa. — The CDC announced Aug. 18 the impending approval of COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for all Americans, less than a week after approved booster shots for the immunocompromised.
Booster doses are recommended eight months after people get their second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, and could start going into arms the week of Sept. 20.
Pharmacies expect the news will spur a surge of appointments, especially later in the fall when those who got their vaccines in the early spring arrive at the eight-month mark.
Hillcrest Pharmacy and Compounding in Columbia Borough has seen instant demand for booster shots for immunocompromised people.
“We actually just did two this morning,” owner and pharmacy manager Melissa Koehler said on Wednesday. “They’re nervous about getting COVID so they definitely want to get that third shot and protect themselves. So yeah, I’d say they’re pretty eager.”
The pharmacy is planning to hire additional workers to administer vaccines in the coming weeks and months.
“I don’t think that we’ll see the urgency as we did right from the beginning, but we are hoping to take care of as many people as we can,” Koehler said.
Whether people choose to get the booster, however, largely depends on how much they already trust the vaccine.
“I believe it works and I believe it’s going to help other people not get it through herd immunity, so yes, definitely I would get it,” said Columbia resident Diane Romano.
“At my age I feel like I need it, so yes, I would definitely get it right away,” said Dorothy Dinkel, also of Columbia.
Some unvaccinated people said the CDC approval of the booster wouldn’t convince them to get the vaccine.
“At this point no, I wouldn’t get it because I don’t have a lot of faith in the vaccine to begin with,” said Columbia resident John Jensen.
Jensen said full FDA approval of the vaccine might change his mind.
Public health officials expect full approval of the Pfizer vaccine could happen in the next few weeks, which would coincide with the CDC’s recommended timeframe to get the flu vaccine.
As the two vaccines do not interact, according to a recent study published as a MedRxiv preprint, public health experts said people can get both the flu and COVID-19 booster shot in the same office visit.