NEW HANOVER COUNTY –– Appointments are opening at two New Hanover County clinics Wednesday for people at high risk for Covid-19 to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine booster.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized and the Centers for Disease Control has recommended the third dose for certain individuals who already received two Pfizer doses at least six months ago. Pfizer’s efficacy falls to 83.7% after four months from the second dose, according to a recent study.
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Those eligible for the free shot include anyone 65 and up; adults 18 and up living in long-term care or high-risk settings, such as homeless shelters, correctional facilities, or dorms; adults with underlying medical conditions; and adults who work high-risk jobs, such as healthcare workers, first responders, teachers and childcare employees.
Appointments are scheduled online at takemyshot.nc.gov. The website is available in English and Spanish. Users are guided through a couple prompts before selecting the option to get an “additional dose/booster.”
The website will then direct users to enter their zip code and pull up time slots at the health and human services building or Independence Mall locations. Once selected, users fill in their contact information. A confirmation will be sent through text and/or email.
Patients should bring a copy or photo of their vaccine card to the appointment, or remember the dates of their first two Pfizer doses. The Public Health employees can look up a person’s vaccination record in the state system if they were vaccinated in North Carolina and don’t know the dates.
The clinic at Independence Mall, 3500 Oleander Dr., is open Tuesday and Thursday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. New Hanover County’s Health and Human Services clinic, at 1650 Greenfield St., is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
As of Monday, Brunswick County Public Health and New Hanover Regional Medical Center are also administering boosters at their clinics. Walgreens and CVS offer the third dose of Pfizer as well.
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