Somerset County Government: Somerset County To Provide Moderna, J&J Booster Vaccinations Beginning Today

Press release from the Somerset County Government:

10/22/2021 1:53 PM

SOMERVILLE, NJ – Beginning today, October 22, the Somerset County Department of Health will begin administering Moderna and Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 booster shots to certain eligible populations at its COVID-19 vaccination clinics. The approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expands booster doses to all three vaccines for populations who will benefit from additional protection.

Moderna

The booster shot for Moderna is a half-dose and will be given at least six or more months after completing their primary series. Eligible recipients are in line with the guidelines for the Pfizer-BioNTech booster vaccine, including:

• People aged 65-years and above
• People aged 18 to 64-years who have underlying conditions
• People aged 18 to 64-years with an increased risk of becoming infected by COVID-19 due to time spent in an occupational or institutional setting

Johnson & Johnson (Janssen)

As for the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine, it can be given at least two or more months after completion of the initial vaccination to individuals 18 years of age and older.

Mix and Match for booster dosing

The CDC’s recommendations include a mix and match dosing for booster shots. For those eligible individuals, they may now choose which vaccine they will receive for their booster dose. Some may prefer a different vaccine type than they originally received, and this recommendation allows for that.

Eligible individuals must bring proof of vaccination and Somerset County residency to receive a Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, or Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 booster dose. All Somerset County COVID-19 vaccination clinics are listed at http://www.co.somerset.nj.us/vaxclinics.

To reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus, protect you and your family by getting vaccinated with an approved vaccine and following everyday healthy habits. The following interventions may also help stop the spread of coronaviruses and other respiratory diseases:

Wear a mask in indoor settings regardless of vaccination status if over two years of age when in locations where there may be a high rate of transmission

• Maintain distance from others – at least two arm’s length apart
• Avoid crowds
• Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• Cover coughs and sneezes
• Monitor health daily and stay home when sick.

Since information on COVID-19 is being regularly updated it is important to stay informed through reliable resources. Follow public health experts such as the CDC at http://www.cdc.gov, the New Jersey Department of Health at http://www.nj.gov/health and the Somerset County Department of Health at http://www.co.somerset.nj.us/health.

The Somerset County Department of Health (SCDOH) is the lead agency for public health emergency preparedness and response in Somerset County. Funding for these activities is provided by the CDC’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness Cooperative Agreement through the New Jersey Department of Health.

To stay up to date with Somerset County events and information, sign up for free email alerts at www.co.somerset.nj.us/subscribe or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

This press release was produced by the Somerset County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.