Moderna Vaccination Clinic Being Offered In Hauppauge

HAUPPAUGE, NY — A Moderna vaccination clinic is scheduled for Thursday afternoon in Hauppauge. The event is slated to run from 1 to 3 p.m. at the H. Lee Dennison Building, said Suffolk County Health Commissioner Dr. Gregson Pigott.

The county, which offered the Moderna coronavirus vaccine to Suffolk County residents from January through March, has been offering only the Pfizer vaccine in the ensuing months this year. As many residents who received their first and second doses of the Moderna vaccine are now eligible to receive a third or booster dose, as the county recently procured a supply of Moderna vaccines to accommodate those seeking their booster shot.

"Suffolk County has made a commitment to protect our residents from COVID-19," Pigott stated via news release. "Vaccines are all highly effective in reducing the risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death, and they are our way out of this pandemic. We urge all who are eligible for third or booster doses to get them as soon as possible."

A booster shot may result in increases in antibody levels and may result in increased effectiveness compared to primary vaccination, and the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that booster shots are safe and effective.

The CDC recommends moderately to severely immunocompromised people consider receiving a booster shot at least 28 days after their second dose.

The CDC and New York State Department of Health also recommended that certain people who received a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their first two shots get the booster.

These people include those who are 65 or older; those who are 18 and older who live in long-term care settings; have underlying medical conditions; or who work or live in high-risk settings.

Booster doses were also recommended for people 18 or older who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago.

If the same vaccine type used for one's initial series is not readily available, or a different COVID-19 vaccine is desired, any FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine can be used for the booster dose, according to FDA and CDC guidance.