Health & Fitness
All NYC Adults Now Effectively Eligible For COVID Vaccine Booster
Living in the city puts New Yorkers at higher risk of COVID-19 and providers shouldn't turn away those who ask for boosters, officials said.
NEW YORK CITY — All adult New Yorkers are effectively eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine booster dose under a new health advisory.
The advisory issued Monday by Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi states vaccine providers will allow New Yorkers to decide their own risk of exposure to COVID-19 and allow them to seek a booster shot, so long as they are 18 and older and it has been at least six months since they received a Moderna or Pfizer doses or two months since a Johnson & Johnson dose.
“This means that providers should not turn a patient away if they request a booster,” he said.
Find out what's happening in New York Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
… as long as they are 18 and older and it has been at least 6 months since a Moderna or Pfizer dose or at least 2 months since a Johnson & Johnson dose.
— Commissioner Dave A. Chokshi, MD (@NYCHealthCommr) November 15, 2021
Roughly 630,000 New Yorkers so far have received a booster dose of vaccine. Those recipients mostly consisted of people 65 and up, those with underlying health conditions or at increased risk.
What Chokshi's advisory does is clarify that adult, vaccinated New Yorkers can receive a booster dose if they feel at risk.
Find out what's happening in New York Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
And simply living in New York City can represent an inherent risk, said Mitchell Katz, president and CEO of New York City Health + Hospitals.
He said effectively expanding eligibility for boosters can help the city avert a renewed wave of COVID-19 as now seen in European counties like Germany.
“I view all New Yorkers, because of the density of our city, of being at higher risk,” he said. “And I think by this order this advisory explaining to physicians that everybody should get a booster if they want a booster will get us further and help us prevent a similar situation as what is occurring in Germany.”
New York City's coronavirus cases have largely declined since September, but Chokshi said recent data shows they're on a slight uptick.
Getting a booster as cold weather and the holidays arrive will add an added layer of protection, he said.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
