OCCHD Begins Administering Booster Vaccine Doses After CDC Approval

Right now, two thirds of the Oklahoma City's population is fully vaccinated. With the new third dose recommendations, that could mean 180,000 people qualify for the third booster dose.

Under the current recommendations, anyone 65 years or older or living in a long-term facility can receive a third dose.

This will also include anyone 50 or older with underlying health conditions.

People 18 through 49 years old are encouraged to get a booster if they have an underlying health condition or have an increased risk of COVID-19 exposure. Increased risk of COVID exposure can include jobs such as a health care worker or a teacher.

Pregnant women and frequent smokers qualify for a booster dose, as well.

The only qualification is six months needs to pass between the second dose of Pfizer and the third dose.

For those younger than 50, the CDC committee does caution those about the third vaccine because of a concern for a rare occurrence of myocarditis.

Right now, the state is seeing COVID-19 cases decreasing, but there is still a critical shortage of ICU beds.

“If we see another variant that behaves like the delta variant and comes in and affects a lot of people, and your previous infection or vaccine does not protect you, we could be potentially going through all of this again,” said OU Health's Dr. Dale Bratzler. 

If you would like to get the third vaccine, you can visit VaxOKC.com.