COVID-19 Vaccine Info

COVID-19 Vaccine for Children 6 months and older

TLCHD will start vaccinating children 6 months of age and older on Wednesday, June 29 at the Health Department's downtown location at 635 N. Erie St., Toledo, Ohio.

Fact Sheet for COVID-19 Vaccine for 6 months and older: Pfizer

Fact Sheet for COVID-19 Vaccine for 6 months and older: Moderna

• Fact Sheet for COVID-19 Vaccines for children 5-11 years old
• FAQs for Parents and Guardians of Children and Adolescents Eligible for the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine
• How to Make a COVID-19 Appointment for Your Child
• Steps for COVID-19 Vaccines to be Authorized for Children Ages 5-11
• What Does a COVID-19 Vaccine Do?
• COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Schedule for schools

 COVID-19 Booster Vaccine Doses for Adults and Adolescents

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have authorized booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines for adolescents and adults ages 12 years and older. Authorization allows recipients ages 12-17 years to receive a booster shot of the Pfizer/Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine. Adult recipients (18 years and older) can receive any authorized COVID-19 vaccine.

Boosters can offer added protection against serious outcomes from COVID-19 and maximize ongoing protection against infection, and initial data suggests that boosters help broaden and strengthen protection against Omicron and other variants. COVID-19 vaccines continue to be incredibly effective; however, there is a natural tendency for immunity to wane over time, whether natural immunity or immunity  from a vaccine, and many immunizations require at least one booster dose, such as the annual influenza (flu) vaccine.

People who received their initial vaccine series six months ago may now have diminished neutralizing antibodies against COVID-19, including the Omicron variant. Receiving a timely booster dose when you are eligible restores antibody levels and provides significant protection.

Fully vaccinated recipients ages 12-17 years are eligible to receive the Pfizer/Comirnaty vaccine five months after receiving the final dose of the initial vaccination series. Fully vaccinated recipients 18 years and older are eligible to receive a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine of their choice, regardless of the vaccine used for initial vaccination. Dosage and timing of boosters vary based on the chosen  vaccine product.

Booster doses are authorized for fully-vaccinated Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients who are 12 years old and older.

Moderna & Pfizer Booster Doses

• If you are 12 or older and received any authorized COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer/Comirnaty, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson), you're eligible for a booster dose.
• For individuals 12 years old or older who received a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, eligibility for a booster dose begins six (6) months after receipt of their 2nd dose.
• If you recieved the Pfizer/Comirnaty or Moderna vaccine and are age 12 years or older: You are eligible for a booster dose five months after receiving the second dose.
• If you are a moderately to severely immunocompromised patient age 12 years or older and received an additional (third) dose of Pfizer vaccine: You are eligible for a booster (fourth) dose five months after receiving the additional (third) dose.
• If you are a moderately to severely immunocompromised patient and received an additional (third) dose of Moderna vaccine: You are eligible for a booster (fourth) dose six months after receiving the additional (third) dose.

Johnson & Johnson Booster Doses

• For individuals 18 years old and older who received a Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, eligibility for a booster dose begins two (2) months after receipt of their first dose.

Mixing-and-Matching Doses

• Eligible individuals aged 18 or older may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose. Some people may have a preference for the vaccine type that they originally received, and others may prefer to get a different vaccine type. If you are age 12-17 years, you must receive the Pfizer/Comirnaty vaccine for your booster dose.
• IMPORTANT: This mix-and-match approach only applies to booster doses. The primary series of the two-dose mRNA vaccines must be from the same product.
• Additional doses for the immunocompromised also should be completed with the same product used in the primary series.

Eligible individuals may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose. Some people may have a preference for the vaccine type that they originally received and others may prefer to get a different booster.

Additional COVID-19 Vaccine Dose for Immunocompromised Individuals

Authorization & Recommendation:

• The U.S. Food & Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have authorized and recommend an additional dose of messenger RNA (mRNA) COVID-19 vaccine for individuals who meet specific conditions and fall into the immunocompromised risk category. The FDA has updated its emergency use authorizations for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to include a recommended third dose for individuals with moderate to severe immunosuppression who are at heightened risk for serious outcomes from COVID-19. The purpose of this additional dose is to strengthen the immune response when the initial immune response to the primary two-dose vaccine series is likely to be insufficient, according to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
• Other fully vaccinated individuals do not need an additional vaccine dose at this time.
• At this time, an additional dose is not recommended after the single-dose Johnson & Johnson (Janssen vaccine).

When to Consider a 3rd Dose:

• You meet the eligibility criteria listed below;
• It has been at least 28 days following completion of the of the primary vaccination series (28 days after your 2nd dose of Pfizer or Moderna);
• You have talked to your doctor to see if a third COVID-19 vaccine dose is right for you at this time;

Immunocompromised Risk Factors & Eligibility:

• Individuals undergoing active treatment for cancer (solid tumor and hematologic malignancies).
• Individuals who have received a solid-organ transplant and are taking immunosuppressive therapy.
• Individuals who have received a CAR-T-cell or hematopoietic stem cell transplant (within two years of transplant or taking immunosuppression therapy).
• Individuals with moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (e.g., DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome).
• Individuals with advanced or untreated HIV infection.
• Individuals undergoing active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids (i.e., ≥20mg prednisone or equivalent per day), alkylating agents, antimetabolites, transplant-related immunosuppressive drugs, cancer chemotherapeutic agents classified as severely immunosuppressive, tumor-necrosis (TNF) blockers, and other biologic agents that are immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory.
• CDC's Updated Clinical Considerations for COVID-19 Vaccinations

Recommendations for COVID-19 Vaccine Providers:

Healthcare providers are urged to consult with immunocompromised patients under their care to offer recommendations for timing of additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine, factoring in their other treatments.

• Individuals who believe they meet the criteria are urged to consult with their healthcare providers to determine next steps. A patient’s clinical team is best positioned to determine the degree of immune system compromise and appropriate timing of vaccination.
• Factors to consider include disease severity, duration, clinical stability, complications, comorbidities, and any potentially immune-suppressing treatment.
• Providers should accept “self-attestation” when eligible individuals present for the additional dose.
• The additional dose should be the same mRNA vaccine as the primary two-dose series. An alternate mRNA product can be used if the primary series product is not available, provided the patient is age-eligible for that product.
• Whenever possible, mRNA COVID-19 vaccination doses (including the primary series and an additional dose) should be given at least two weeks before initiation of immunosuppressive therapies.

Recommended Layered Prevention:

The CDC recommends extra precautions for immunocompromised individuals alongside an additional dose:

• Immunocompromised people (including those who receive an additional mRNA dose) should be aware of the potential for reduced immune response to COVID-19 vaccination and should follow ongoing prevention measures including:
  • Wearing a mask.
  • Staying 6 feet apart from others outside their household.
  • Avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces.
• Close contacts of immunocompromised people are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Booster Doses:

These additional doses for immunocompromised persons should not be confused with booster doses. At this time, additional booster doses are not authorized or recommended for any individuals based upon waning immunity over time. The need for and timing of a COVID-19 booster dose have not been established, according to the FDA.

FDA Resources:

• Pfizer
  • Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers Administering Vaccine
  • Fact Sheet for Recipients and Caregivers
• Moderna
  • Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers Administering Vaccine
  • Fact Sheet for Recipients and Caregivers

CDC Resources:

• Considerations for use of an additional mRNA COVID-19 vaccine dose after an initial 2-dose COVID-19 mRNA vaccine series for immunocompromised people