COVID-19 Booster Shots: WI Supports CDC Guidance

WISCONSIN — The Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced Monday that it supports the federal recommendation for Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster shots.

Health services recommended that the following people get a booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine six months after they complete the first two shots.

• People 65 and older.
• Residents in long-term care.
• People between 50 and 64 with underlying medical conditions such as cancer, kidney disease or chronic lung disease.

People with underlying medical conditions or who have an increased risk of exposure to the coronavirus may be advised to get the booster dose to further strengthen their immune systems.

“Our nation’s leading medical experts reviewed the available data and recommended COVID-19 vaccine booster doses be provided to some people who have received the Pfizer vaccine,” health services Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake said. “Booster doses are another tool at our disposal to stop the spread of the highly transmissible delta variant and slow the spread of COVID-19 in communities throughout Wisconsin.”

So far, state health officials have only authorized the Pfizer booster for people who have completed the Pfizer vaccine series. Data on the effectiveness and safety of Moderna and Johnson & Johnson booster shots will be released in the future, health officials said.