Booster shots have been approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for all three primary vaccines in use in the U.S., and several groups of employees should consider getting a booster shot.

Although not currently required, booster shots are recommended and encouraged for specific populations, including people who work in occupational or institutional settings that put them at high risk for COVID-19. You can find out where to get booster shots here.

Booster shots and COVID leave

The county will allow use of COVID leaves for booster shots in the same manner as allowed for primary vaccinations. Information on COVID Leave eligibility is here.

Who should get a COVID-19 vaccine booster?

For individuals who received a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, the following groups are eligible for a booster shot at six months or more after their initial series:

• 65 years and older
• Age 18+ who live in long-term care settings
• Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions
• Age 18+ who work or live in high-risk settings

For people who got the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, booster shots are recommended for those who are 18 and older and who were vaccinated two or more months ago.

Eligible individuals may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose. Mixing and matching of COVID-19 booster doses has been authorized by both the CDC and FDA, so employees can choose a different vaccine for a booster shot than the original Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccine received.

All COVID-19 vaccinations are free of charge and all King County vaccination partnership sites are Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible and open to the public.

Please go to www.kingcounty.gov/vaccine for more details about COVID-19 vaccines and to get answers to your questions.