COVID vaccine booster now available

A pop-up COVID vaccination clinic was held at Annandale High School in August.

Beginning today, the Fairfax County Health Department is providing booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to individuals who meet new CDC guidelines.

People eligible for a booster dose include four groups: 

• Anyone 65 and older and residents in long-term care settings.
• Those age 50-64 with underlying medical conditions, such as cancer, chronic kidney or lung disease, obesity, or sickle cell disease. See the full list on the CDC website. 
• People age 8-49 with underlying medical conditions, based on their individual benefits and risks.
• Individuals age 18-64 who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of an occupational or institutional setting, based on their individual benefits and risks.

Individuals in any of those groups should receive a Pfizer booster shot at least six months after their second Pfizer vaccine.

Anyone who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine should not seek an additional Pfizer booster shot. They should wait for future recommendations from the CDC and Virginia Health Department.

Booster doses are available at pharmacies, medical providers, hospitals, and the Fairfax County Health Department. Visit www.vaccines.gov to make an appointment. Be sure to bring your vaccine card to confirm the type of vaccine and dates of previous doses. 

The Health Department is hosting a pop-up Pfizer vaccination clinic for walk-ins Sept. 30, 3-7 p.m., at Oakview Gardens, 5836 Oakview Drive, Bailey’s Crossroads. 

There will also be a pop-up clinic for walk-ins (with the Pfizer, J&J, and Moderna vaccines) Oct. 2, noon-6 p.m., at the Springfield Town Center, 6500 Springfield Mall, Suite 15010. 

Visit the Health Department’s vaccination website for information on future pop-up clinics.  

Related story: Virtual learning to be available for quarantined students

In addition, walk-in vaccinations are available from the Health Department at these locations and dates: 

• Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax – Monday and Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Mt. Vernon District Office, 8350 Richmond Highway, Alexandria – Monday and Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

First and second doses, as well as booster shots, are available at all of those locations.

People can also make an appointment for a vaccine at most Giant, Safeway, CVS, Walgreen’s. and Harris Teeter stores. See the complete list of vaccine providers at www.vaccines.gov.

In other COVID news: 

• Fairfax County is at the “high” level of community transmission, according to the Virginia Department of Health. 
• The county has a 113.1 percent seven-day rate of infection per 100,000 population as of Sept. 20. That compares to 127.6 percent for Northern Virginia, 292.8 percent for Virginia, and 300 percent for the United States. 
• Within the Fairfax County Health District, 62.6 percent of all residents and 74.3 of residents age 18 and older are fully vaccinated for COVID-19. That means they’ve had two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or one dose of the J&J vaccine. 
• There are still about 400,000 people in the Fairfax Health District who remain unvaccinated. That includes 195,000 children too young to be eligible for a vaccination. 
• Between Aug. 1 and Sept. 15, there were 840 COVID cases in Fairfax County Public Schools. That includes 504 elementary students, 55 middle school students, 157 high school students, and 124 staff members at all levels. 
• Now that emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine could be approved by the Food and Drug Administration in October, FCPS plans to survey parents on whether they want their children vaccinated at school.