MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Shelby County Health Department is providing the recently-approved COVID-19 booster vaccines to those who qualify for a booster dose.
The vaccinations are available at no cost at the following locations on a walk-in basis Monday-Friday, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.:
- 814 Jefferson Avenue, Suite 207
- 1826 Sycamore View Road
The updated booster vaccine can only be given to people who have, at a minimum, completed the initial two-dose series of either Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at least two months ago, according to a release from SCHD.
The new Moderna booster is authorized for people 18 years old and older, and the Pfizer booster is authorized for individuals aged 12 and older.
Currently, SCHD is only offering the updated Pfizer booster, but expects to also offer the updated Moderna booster in the coming weeks.
These new vaccines are called “bivalent” because they trigger immune responses to both the original COVID-19 virus and to the newer Omicron variants, SCHD said.
Shelby County Health Department Director Dr. Michelle Taylor said, “Based on the data supporting the authorization of these new boosters, the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines are expected to provide increased protection against the currently circulating Omicron variants. As we head into fall and begin to spend more time indoors, these updated boosters may give us increased protection and head off a surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations. I strongly encourage anyone who is eligible to consider receiving a booster dose with a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine.”
In addition to the Health Department, COVID-19 vaccinations are also free and widely available at pharmacies and other vaccination sites all over Shelby County.
Go to https://www.vaccines.gov/ and enter your zip code to find vaccination sites near you.
For more information about the Health Department’s COVID-19 response, visit Shelby.community.
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