CVS Begins Administering Pfizer COVID-19 Booster Shots Following CDC Approval

VIRGINIA — CVS Health began offering Pfizer-BioNTechCOVID-19 booster shots Friday at select CVS Pharmacy and MinuteClinic locations, according to a company release.

The company made the decision to begin administering booster shots after the Centers for Disease Control approved guidance on Friday from its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

“Virginia welcomes the decision from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to support booster shots for certain people who previously received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine," Dr. Danny Avula, Virginia’s state vaccination coordinator, said in a release. "The Virginia Department of Health has been working with its vaccination partners — pharmacies, healthcare providers, hospitals and other institutions — to prepare for this rollout. We are confident that we will have enough supply, and that access will be widely available."

The following, which was taken from the CDC and ACIP guidance, outlines who will be able to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot:

• People 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series
• People aged 50 to 64 with certain underlying medical conditions should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series
• People 18 to 49 who are at high risk for severe COVID-19 due to certain underlying medical conditions may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risk
• People aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series

People who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccines are not eligible to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech booster, according to the CVS Health release.

As of Friday, the Pfizer-BioNTech booster will be available at about 5,600 CVS locations across the U.S., including 163 in Virginia. People who are eligible to receive the booster are encouraged to visit CVS.com or MinuteClinic.com to schedule and appointment.