Where To Get COVID-19 Booster Shot: New Hyde Park

NEW HYDE PARK, NY — Federal, state, and local health officials are urging residents to get a COVID-19 booster shot as eligibility expands and the number of new cases climbs due to a growing number of variants.

"The CDC is strengthening its booster recommendations and encouraging everyone 16 and older to receive a booster shot," said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Although we don't have all the answers on the Omicron variant, initial data suggests that COVID-19 boosters help broaden and strengthen the protection against Omicron and other variants."

There are three boosters to choose from — Pfizer-BioNTech; Moderna; and Johnson & Johnson.

Everyone ages 16 and older can get a COVID-19 booster shot:

• at least six months after getting a second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine; or
• at least two months after getting the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine

At this time, only Pfizer's vaccine is authorized and recommended for children aged 16 and 17. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are for those ages 18 and up.

Below, you'll learn more about what medical experts are saying about the COVID-19 boosters, as well as where to get one in the New Hyde Park area.

Booster Offers Protection Against COVID-19 Variant, Experts Say

Many things about the Omicron variant remain unknown. But getting a booster shot is the best way to protect against the highly transmissible variant of the coronavirus, according to medical professionals.

Earlier this month, Pfizer officials released the results of an initial lab study showing that its vaccine neutralizes the Omicron variant after three doses.

"Although two doses of the vaccine may still offer protection against severe disease caused by the Omicron strain, it's clear from these preliminary data that protection is improved with a third dose of our vaccine," Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said. "Ensuring as many people as possible are fully vaccinated with the first two-dose series and a booster remains the best course of action to prevent the spread of COVID-19."

The study found that people who received two doses of the vaccine were still protected from the virus. But a third dose increased the level of protection, BioNTech founder and CEO Ugur Sahin said in a statement.

The first case of the Omicron variant in the United States was reported in California earlier this month and was someone who had been vaccinated but had not gotten a booster shot. Omicron cases have since been confirmed in more than 21 states including Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Colorado, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Georgia.

Booster Shots: Explained

The protection provided by vaccines doesn't last forever. Our immunity from the original shot(s) wanes over time. It's natural.

That's why many medical experts are encouraging people to get the COVID-19 booster. The additional dose is designed to keep up your immunity, for longer, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Plus, it may help protect you from new strains of the coronavirus, like Omicron.

So does the COVID-19 booster shot have the same formulation as existing COVID-19 vaccines?

The CDC says yes. However, in the case of the Moderna booster shot, it is half the dose people get from their first two shots.

Potential Side Effects From Jab

The most common side effects of the COVID-19 booster include pain and swelling at the injection site, fatigue, muscle pain, fever, chills, and nausea. They typically go away within three days.

As with all three COVID-19 vaccines, serious, but rare, side effects may occur. Learn more about them here.

More information about possible side effects, as well as ways to relieve them, can be found here.

Where To Get A COVID-19 Booster Shot

There are a number of places you can get your booster shot — including pharmacy chains, state-run mass vaccination sites, and select Northwell Health facilities and physicians' offices.

• CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens
  • Type in your ZIP code to find nearby locations
• Northwell Health
  • No facilities in New Hyde Park, but several can be found out east (like Huntington and Riverhead)
• State-run mass vaccination sites
  • Type in your ZIP code to find nearby locations
• Physician's office
  • Call your physician to see if they have COVID-19 booster