Where Can Princeton Residents Get An Additional COVID Vaccine?

PRINCETON, NJ — Eligible patients can get an additional dose of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. Here's what Princeton residents should know.

Who's Eligible?
If you're 65 or older, a long-term-care resident, an adult with underlying medical conditions, or an adult with an increased risk of coronavirus exposure because of your job, you're now eligible for a Pfizer "booster" vaccine at least six months after your second shot.

Additionally, people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised can get a "third dose" of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

People who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine are not yet eligible for "booster" doses. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky said the agency will evaluate "with similar urgency available data in the coming weeks" to make new recommendations for those who received the aforementioned vaccines.

Difference between Booster Shot and Third Dose

For immunocompromised patients, the two-dose vaccine may not provide the same level of immunity as it does for others. A "third dose" of the vaccine helps their immune system build enough protection against the virus. A "booster" is for other individuals whose immune protection against COVID-19 may weaken over time. The terminology differs, but the shot itself is the same in both cases.

Eligible patients can receive their additional dose at any site administering the shots they received before, according to the New Jersey Department of Health.

Where Can I Find an Additional Dose?
Here's where you can get an additional Pfizer dose in Princeton. Check beforehand whether you need to make an appointment:

• Princeton Health Department, 1 Monument Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540
• Jadwin Gym - Princeton University, 1 Faculty Rd, Princeton, NJ 08540
• Hinds Plaza, 55 Witherspoon St, Princeton, NJ 08542
• Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center, 1 Plainsboro Rd Plainsboro

There is also free walk-in COVID-19 vaccine clinics being held in Princeton. Check beforehand whether you need to make an appointment:

• Oct. 13: Mr.Rogers Free Store, Franklin Ave. 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• Oct. 19: Princeton Senior Resource Center, 45 Stockton Street, 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.
• Oct. 22: La Mexicana, 150 Witherspoon Street, 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
• Oct. 26: Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.
• Nov. 4: Stone Hill Church, 1025 Bunn Drive, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
• Nov. 9: Witherspoon Hall, 500 Witherspoon Street, 12 p.m. - 2 p.m.

More Details on Eligibility

People with moderate or severe immune-system deficiencies should get an additional Pfizer or Moderna shot at least 28 days after their second dose, according to the CDC. That includes those who have:

• been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood.
• received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system.
• received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system.
• moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome).
• advanced or untreated HIV infection.
• active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response.

The following should receive a booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine, according to the CDC:

• people 65 years and older.
• residents in long-term care settings.
• people age 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions.
• people age 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions may receive a booster shot, based on their individual benefits and risks.
• people aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional settings, including healthcare workers, may receive a booster shot, based on their individual benefits and risks.

For more information or questions, contact Princeton Health Department COVID-19 Generalist Julie Venema at jvenema@princetonnj.gov.