Following FDA approval, recommendations from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and additional recommendations by the CDC director, the Michigan Department of Health and Humans Services (MDHHS) is urging certain Michiganders to get a booster shot if they received Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. This includes people ages 65 and older; individuals 18 through 64 years of age at high risk of severe COVID-19 due to underlying health conditions; and those at high risk of COVID-19 due to occupational or institutional exposure.
“The safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine is already protecting millions of Michiganders from this deadly virus,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS. “With the Delta variant circulating and cases of COVID-19 increasing, CDC and the FDA have determined that a booster dose is needed for some individuals to maintain and increase that level of protection. We urge all eligible Michiganders to get their booster dose six months after their second dose to help protect against COVID-19.”
CDC recommends the following groups should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series:
- People 65 years and older and residents aged 18 and older in long-term care settings.
- People aged 50 through 64 with certain underlying medical conditions.
CDC recommends the following groups may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series based on their individual benefits and risks:
- People aged 18 through 49 who are at high risk for severe COVID-19 due to certain underlying medical conditions.
- People aged 18 through 64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting.
- Per CDC, occupations at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission include frontline essential workers and health care workers including:
- First responders (health care workers, firefighters, police, congregate care staff).
- Education staff (teachers, support staff, daycare workers).
- Food and agriculture workers.
- Manufacturing workers.
- Corrections workers.
- S. Postal Service workers.
- Public transit workers.
- Grocery store workers.
This list could be updated in the future.
This updated interim guidance from CDC follows the Sept. 22 decision by the FDA, following a careful examination of the latest data, and robust and deliberative discussion around booster shots. The booster recommendation only pertains to individuals who received the Pfizer vaccine. Those who received J&J or Moderna are not eligible for a booster vaccine under the current recommendations, and additional guidance is expected in the coming weeks.
Michiganders should bring their COVID-19 vaccine card or immunization record with them when getting their booster dose, which is available at any vaccine provider that have Pfizer vaccine. Immunization records are available online at the Michigan Immunization Portal for many residents and can be downloaded and printed. To obtain their record, Michiganders must create a MILogin account at Michigan.gov/MiImmsportal and upload a valid government issued photo ID such as a driver’s license, state ID or passport. There is no cost to access the portal.
As previously recommended, Michiganders with moderately to severely compromised immune systems should receive an additional dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine at least 28 days after a second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. This additional dose is intended to improve the response of people who are immunocompromised to their initial vaccine series.
To date, more than 67.2% of Michiganders – more than 5.4 million residents – have gotten at least their first dose of one of the three safe, effective vaccines. From January to July 2021, unvaccinated Michiganders accounted for 98% of COVID cases, 95% of hospitalizations and 96% of deaths.
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