'Everyone Is At Higher Risk': COVID-19 Boosters Open To 18+ In RI

PROVIDENCE, RI — Coronavirus booster vaccines are now available to all adults in Rhode Island, the head of the state's Department of Health announced Tuesday. With winter holidays and cold weather fast approaching, "everyone is at higher risk," Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott said.

Booster shots have been available in the state since late September, when a third Pfizer shot was given the green light from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention and the federal Food and Drug Administration. On Oct. 22, additional shots were approved for Moderna and Johnson and Johnson, as well.

Since then, 105,000 booster doses have been administered in Rhode Island, Gov. Dan McKee said Tuesday, or an average of about 24,000 shots per week.

When boosters were first rolled out, they were recommended for those most at risk of contracting or experiencing serious complications from COVID-19 such as hospitalization or death. This included anyone aged 65 or older, those who are immunocompromised and people who are at a higher risk of getting COVID-19 because of their living or working situations.

On Tuesday, Dr. Alexander-Scott strongly recommended that people in these groups get a booster shot if it has been at least six months since their initial doses. With coronavirus case numbers and the percent positivity rate climbing and a cold weather spike on the horizon, the doctor expanded the initial guidance, saying that "everyone is at a higher risk of exposure." That means that anyone 18 years or older can get a booster shot if they want to, if the six-month window has passed. Boosters are available to anyone who got the single dose J&J vaccine two months after the initial shot.

Anyone unsure if they should get a COVID-19 booster shot should consult with their health care provider for individual guidance.

Rhode Islanders do not need to get a booster shot of the same vaccine dose they received initially, and can choose which type they would prefer. This only applies to booster shots — primary shots should still be of the same type.