Pfizer booster shots for COVID vaccine now available at some New Jersey sites (2024)

With millions of New Jersey residents who received Pfizer's COVID vaccinenow eligible for boosters, providers are making plans to offer them to people who meet the federal criteria.

Several pharmacy chains, supermarkets and bigbox stores began offering booster shotsto walk-in customers Friday afternoon while some hospitals were preparing for weekend visits and shots to be given early next week.

Of the state's 1,600 vaccines providers, 1,000 have the Pfizer vaccine in stock. Among them:

  • CVS began offering the Pfizer booster shot on Friday afternoon. Although Pfizer supplies are in stock at 180 locations, CVS is “strongly recommending” New Jerseyans make an appointmentto ensure doses are still available at the pharmacy of their choice, said Tara Burke, a company spokeswoman.
  • RiteAid began offering Pfizer boosters to walk-in customers on Friday at all of its 129 stores in New Jersey. Appointments can also be made at its website beginning Saturday.
  • Walmart and Sam’s Club began offering Pfizer booster shots on Friday at 70locations in New Jersey. Appointments can be made but are not necessary.
  • ShopRite began offering boosters to walk-in customers and by appointment.

Although state health officials said they would likely reopen as many as three mega-sites that vaccinated hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans over thewinter, details will not be provided until Gov. Phil Murphy holds his regular COVID-19 briefing on Monday.

New Jerseyans can find a vaccination site and book an appointment online at covid19.nj.gov/finder or by calling the state’s Vaccine Call Center at 1-855-568-0545.

More on boosters:

Valley Health hadappointments available Saturday at two Paramus sites: itsGarden State Plaza care center and its vaccination center at 599 Valley Health Plaza. Additional appointments are available Monday through Saturdayat valleyhealth.com/services/covid-19-vaccine.

Bergen New Bridge Medical Center will offer the Pfizer booster starting Monday at 7 a.m., a spokeswoman said. The vaccine center at the Paramus medical center will be open Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. A vaccine card showing previous completion of the two-dose series of Pfizer vaccines is required.

"It's the honor system," said Donnalee Corrieri, chief marketing officer for Bergen New Bridge. "We'll ask people what [eligibility] criteria they fit in, they tell us, and we'll give it to them. We're not requiring documentation."

People can register in advance at bergencovidvaccine.com or walk in.

Pfizer booster shots for COVID vaccine now available at some New Jersey sites (1)

Holy Name Medical Center will offer booster dosesby appointmentat four locations: the Rodda Center in Teaneck, Memorial High School in West New York,HNH Fitness in Oradell, and the Paramus VFW. Time slots wereavailable Saturday in West New York, and weekdays at the Rodda Center. Go to vaccine.holyname.org to schedulean appointment.

Hackensack Meridian Healthsaid through a spokesman Friday afternoon thatit was ready to begin administering booster vaccines to its employees andeligible members of the public as soon as it received guidance from the state Health Department.

RWJBarnabasHealth system willbegin offering booster doses sometime next week for those who register and indicate they meet the CDC criteria, aspokeswomansaid.

The federal Centers for Disease Control announcedearly Friday that booster recipients must have havecompleted two doses of the Pfizer vaccine at least six months earlier. The booster is recommended for those aged 65 and older, or who are aged 50 to 64 with underlying medical conditions, according to the CDC.

It is also available to anyone over age 18 who is "at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting ... based on their individual benefits and risks," the CDC said.

Are booster shots available for Moderna and J&J vaccine?

"People who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine are not yet eligible for the booster shots authorized by the federal government," state Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said Friday.

While there has been much discussion over mixing vaccines, aCDCadvisory paneldid not make any decisions this week on whether Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients should get the Pfizer booster that it approved on Thursday.

In fact, the panel seemeddivided on the question, with some leaning towardendorsing a mix-and-match strategy and others taking a more cautious approach due to lack of data.

Booster doses of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are not yet approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration.

Many hospitals already have administered third dosesto staff members and patientswith weakened immune systems, followingthe CDC’s August announcement thatimmune-compromised individuals should receive an additional shot.

Those vaccines will continue to be available within the health systems, but now fora broadergroup of employees. More than 500 staff members at St. Joseph’s Health havealreadyreceived booster shots that way, said Kristen Agnes, a spokeswoman.

Many health care professionals welcomed the broader availability of booster shots.

"While the data are not 100%convincing yet" on whether boosters should be recommended for those atrisk because of where they work or live, "we are seeing increasing numbers of breakthrough infections," said Brian Strom, chancellor of Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences.

"We cannot afford as a society to wait until the data are crystal clear before mounting a response or the pandemic risks getting much worse in the meantime."

How many have received the Pfizer vaccine in NJ?

Ofthe 5.8 million fully vaccinated residents of New Jersey, 3.1 million received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine. More than 50,000 have received additional doses so far, according to the state Health Department.

Lindy Washburn is a senior health care reporter for NorthJersey.com. To keepup-to-dateabout how changes in health care affect you and your family,please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email:washburn@northjersey.com

Twitter:@lindywa

Pfizer booster shots for COVID vaccine now available at some New Jersey sites (2024)
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