COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster Questions & Answers
Who is eligible for booster vaccinations?
On September 24, 2021, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup recommended the following people should receive booster doses at least six months after completing their initial series:
- Got a Pfizer vaccination at least six months ago, and
- Are 65 or older, or
- Are a long-term care resident that is 18 or older, or
- Are 50-64 and have an underlying medical condition, or
- Are 50-64 and at increased risk due to social inequity (including that of communities of color)
You may also consider getting a booster if you:
- Are 18-49 and have an underlying medical condition or at increased risk due to social inequity, or
- Are 18-64 and work or live in a high-risk setting (like a shelter)
- The CDC defines high-risk jobs as:
- First responders (healthcare workers, firefighters, police, congregate care staff)
- Education staff (teachers, support staff, daycare workers)
- Food and agriculture workers
- Manufacturing workers
- Corrections workers
- U.S. Postal Service workers
- Public transit workers
- Grocery store workers
What is the difference between boosters and additional doses for immunocompromised individuals?
Persons whose high level of immunity has decreased over time are being offered booster doses to maintain protection. Booster doses are very common and are a normal part of most vaccine series.
Persons whose level of immunity after an initial series of vaccines is weak, such as immunocompromised individuals, are being offered additional doses to strengthen their protection. Learn more by reading the CDPH Additional Doses Questions and Answers.
When should I receive a booster dose?
Booster doses should be administered at least six months after an individual has completed their initial vaccine series. They do not need to be administered exactly at six months, but it is recommended that eligible individuals receive a booster to ensure they maintain a strong immunity against COVID-19.
When will booster doses be made available in California?
California has actively been working with our partner networks and medical providers to ensure that the state is ready to meet demand when booster doses become available. California began administering booster doses as of September 24, 2021. You can schedule an appointment or find a vaccine near you by visiting MyTurn.ca.gov or calling 833-422-4255.
How do I know if I have a qualifying underlying health condition?
CDPH uses the CDC’s designations for identifying underlying health conditions. Examples of underlying health conditions include cancer, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and obesity. However, the definition also extends to those that have been impacted by systemic health and social inequities, recognizing that inequality is also a contribution to negative health outcomes, and a booster dose may be beneficial to those impacted.
How do I know if my workplace qualifies me for a booster dose?
Frontline workers, including people who work in a medical setting, teachers, restaurant staff, grocery store workers, law enforcement, Fire departments, and Emergency staff may all consider receiving a booster dose of Pfizer if they received Pfizer for their primary series and are at least six months post initial vaccine series.
Can I receive a booster dose before six months?
No, at this time, booster doses of the vaccine are only authorized for at least six months after you received your second vaccine dose of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine.
Is a booster dose the same amount of vaccine as doses in the original vaccine series?
Yes, the booster doses will be the same dosage as the first and second in the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine series.
How does someone find and receive a booster dose?
Boosters will be available through all current channels, including healthcare providers, clinics and neighborhood pharmacies. Californians can visit MyTurn.ca.gov or call 833-422-4255 to make an appointment or find a nearby vaccine clinic.
Which vaccines are covered by the emergency use authorization for booster doses?
Currently, only Pfizer BioNTech vaccines have been granted an extended EUA to allow for booster vaccine doses at least six months after the second vaccine dose.
What if someone received a Moderna or Janssen vaccine initially? Should they get a Pfizer vaccine series?
At this time, mixing vaccine brands is not recommended. All vaccines continue to show a high level of protection against severe illness, hospitalization and death if you experience a post-vaccination COVID-19 case.
Can a person get a booster dose from a different manufacturer from their original series, or do they need to stay with the brand for their original supplier?
Individuals should only receive a Pfizer BioNTech booster dose if they received Pfizer BioNTech as their initial vaccine series.
Can I get multiple boosters?
Only a single booster is recommended at this time.
Will boosters be required to be considered fully vaccinated under the current CA Public Health Orders?
At this time, a person is considered fully vaccinated when they have completed their original vaccine series. Booster doses are not required to be considered fully vaccinated but are encouraged for those that are eligible to ensure significant protection from COVID-19 and its variants.
If I get a booster dose, will it show on my digital vaccine record?
Your digital vaccine record does not automatically update. If you receive a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, you'll have to get a new QR code through the Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record portal.
We recommend waiting 14 days for your new dose to show up in the California Immunization Registry.
Will digital vaccine records be updated to show that individuals have received a booster dose?
Yes, the Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record has been updated and will show that a booster vaccine dose has been administered. Your vaccine record will not automatically update, so a new version will need to be downloaded to reflect that you have received a booster dose.
We recommend waiting 14 days for your new dose to show up in the California Immunization Registry.
Will an antibody or other test show whether I need a booster dose?
We do not recommend using antibodies or any other tests to determine protection from the virus at this time. There is significant variability from one antibody test to another, and we do not know enough about what antibody levels mean in terms of protection from COVID-19 and its variants.
Does receiving a booster eliminate the need for further harm-reduction precautions?
No, even with an extra dose of a mRNA vaccine, harm reduction precautions are still prudent to keep all Californians safe. Vaccines are not 100% effective, and youth under the age of 12 are not yet eligible for the vaccine, so taking precautions such as wearing a mask protects Californians from becoming seriously ill with COVID-19.
Should pregnant individuals receive a booster dose?
Pregnant persons 18-49 years old are eligible and are encouraged to discuss their individual benefits and risks of booster doses with their medical providers.
Should lactating individuals receive a booster dose?
If a person is recommended for a booster dose for other reasons, lactation does not change that recommendation. If a person is not recommended for a booster dose for other reasons, lactation by itself does not qualify the person for a booster dose.
How is California verifying people are getting booster vaccine doses at the six-month mark and not jumping the queue?
California is using self-attestation to confirm eligibility for a booster. There is no verification process required to confirm eligibility, though some providers may request additional confirmation or eligibility such as verification or age or occupation.
How do we know booster doses are safe?
Booster doses went through the same thorough scientific review process as the initial vaccine series, with trial data from all over the world being reviewed and considered when making a recommendation. The vaccines, including booster doses, are safe. CDC has published additional data on the safety of additional doses given in the US during August and September.
What side effects should be expected after receiving a booster dose?
The side effects from booster doses should be the same mild side effects experienced when receiving the initial vaccine dose. A sore arm at the injection site and mild flu-like symptoms are normal and demonstrate that your body is rebuilding immunity to COVID-19.
For updated information on COVID-19 for Santa Clara County, please visit www.covid19.sccgov.org
For a list of vaccine eligibility from the CDC, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html
For more information about Pfizer vaccine boosters, please visit https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Pfizer-COVID-19-Vaccine-Boosters.aspx