COVID-19 Booster Shots: Where To Find Them In Sherman Oaks

SHERMAN OAKS, CA — Booster shots, available at pharmacies and clinics in Sherman Oaks, are the best defense against COVID-19 illnesses as the omicron variant of the coronavirus spreads across the country, according to health officials.

Breakthrough COVID-19 cases from the omicron variant — infections among the vaccinated — are less common among people who have received their third vaccination shots, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The omicron variant, first reported in South Africa on Nov. 24, has been detected in California.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, said Friday the Pfizer and Moderna booster shots work well against the omicron variant and that there's no need for a specific vaccine to fight it.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the omicron variant is likely to become the dominant coronavirus strain in the coming weeks. It currently represents 3 percent of new infections.

Public health officials are concerned that vaccination rates — currently 61 percent of eligible Americans are fully vaccinated, and only 28 percent have gotten booster shots — are insufficient to fend off a fifth wave of the coronavirus. COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are increasing, with about 120,000 new cases and 1,200 deaths reported each day, mainly from the delta variant.

Here are some locations to get a booster shot in Sherman Oaks:

Eisner Health Sherman Oaks, 15477 Ventura Blvd., Suite 300, Sherman Oaks, 91403

• UCLA Encino, 15503 Ventura Blvd., Suites 340 and 350, Encino, 91436
• Pavilions Pharmacy, 14845 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, 91403
• Encino Family Pharmacy, 16060 Ventura Blvd., Encino, 91436
• Ralph's Pharmacy, 14049 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, 91403
• Rite Aid, 13333 Riverside Drive, Sherman Oaks, 91423

Visit the county's website to schedule a booster shot near you.

The CDC says Pfizer and Moderna booster shots both provide increased protection against COVID-19 and help prevent severe symptoms in breakthrough cases.

You can also make an appointment in Los Angeles County to get tested ahead of the holidays. Visit the website to schedule an appointment or find a location for walk-in testing.