Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for recipients of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The booster is made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for people of certain ages, health conditions, living conditions or professions:
- People who are 65+ years old
- People who are 18+ years old with underlying medical conditions
- People who are 18+ and live in settings with high risk for COVID-19 transmission
- People who are 18+ and work in settings with high risk for COVID-19 transmission
Education workers including teachers, school staff, and daycare workers are eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine booster. They must have completed their initial series of the Pfizer vaccine at least 6 months ago.
Why boosters?
Vaccine boosters keep the body’s immune response against COVID-19 strong. According to the CDC, data has found that protection from the vaccine can decrease over time. This is especially true in the case of the Delta variant. A vaccine booster will increase protection against COVID-19, including the Delta variant.
Many teachers have said that receiving the Pfizer booster will give them peace of mind as they continue in-person school during the pandemic.
Find your booster shot
Teachers who are considering the booster shot should assess their individual benefits and risks. If you are a teacher or meet another eligibility requirement, search vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find locations near you!