North Georgia - On January 5th, the CDC endorsed the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommendation to expand eligibility of booster doses to those 12 to 15 years old. CDC now recommends that adolescents ages 12 to 17 should receive a booster shot 5 months after their initial Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination series. Additionally, moderately or severely immunocompromised children ages 5 to 11 may now receive a third shot in their primary series to be fully vaccinated 28 days after their second shot - learn more from the CDC.

Just as for everyone who is eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, booster doses for youngsters 12 and older and third shots for immunocompromised children ages 5 to 11 are now available at health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield Counties. No appointment is needed for a COVID-19 vaccination at our county health departments during regular clinic hours. Please click on the listed county names to find health department locations and clinic hours of operation.

Data show that COVID-19 boosters help broaden and strengthen protection against Omicron and other SARS-CoV-2 variants. ACIP reviewed the available safety data following the administration of over 25 million vaccine doses in adolescents; COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective.

At this time, only the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is authorized and recommended for children ages 5 to 17.

“It is critical that we protect our children and teens from COVID-19 infection and the complications of severe disease,” said CDC Director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky. “I encourage all parents to keep their children up to date with CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.”

Find all details about COVID-19 booster shot eligibility on the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html.