COVID-19 Booster Shots: Where To Find Them Around Burke

BURKE, VA — Booster shots, available at pharmacies and clinics in Burke, 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 all but a handful of states, including Virginia.

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.

To get a booster shot around Burke, look for appointments at:

• George Mason University clinic: Fenwich Library A Wing, 4348 Chesapeake River Lane Fairfax VA 22030
• Fairfax County Health Department clinics
• Walmart: 6000 Burke Commons Rd, Burke, VA 22015
• Safeway Pharmacy: 9596 Old Keene Mill Rd, Burke, VA 22015; 5727 Burke Centre Pkwy, Burke, VA 22015; 9525 Braddock Rd, Fairfax, VA 22032
• Giant Pharmacy: 6011 Burke Centre Pkwy, Burke, VA 22015; 8320 Old Keene Mill Rd, Springfield, VA 22152; 10653 Braddock Rd, Fairfax, VA 22032; 7501 Huntsman Blvd, Springfield, VA 22153;
• CVS Pharmacy: 9582 Old Keene Mill Rd, Burke, VA 22015; 8928 Burke Lake Rd, Springfield, VA 22151; 10301 New Guinea Rd, Fairfax, VA 22032; 8330 Old Keene Mill Rd, Springfield, VA 22152; 5711 Burke Centre Pkwy, Burke, VA 22015
• Walgreens: 9579 Braddock Rd, Fairfax, VA 22032; 8414 Old Keene Mill Rd Unit A, Springfield, VA 22152; 5230 Port Royal Rd, North Springfield, VA 22151
• Costco: 7373 Boston Blvd, Springfield, VA 22153; 4725 West Ox Rd, Fairfax, VA 22030

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

Boosters of the Pfizer and Moderna can be obtained at least six months after the last dose. Johnson & Johnson boosters can be obtained at least two months after the first dose. Moderna and Johnson & Johnson boosters are only available for adults; Pfizer boosters are recommended for people 16 and up. There are no current boosters recommended for children aged 5 to 15.