OSDH Prepares To Roll Out Booster Doses Of Moderna, Johnson And Johnson Vaccines

On the heels of a Centers for Disease Control vote and an endorsement by the CDC director, thousands of Oklahomans will be eligible for a COVID-19 booster dose.

Along with those who became eligible in September for their Pfizer booster, those who received Moderna and Johnson & Johnson can now get one as well.

"We do expect an uptick in demand," said Buffy Heater, the Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Health. "I think a lot of people, when Pfizer was initially released and announced as boosters, we had a lot of folks that were asking that question. ‘I got a Moderna. When will it be my turn? I got J&J. I would like to know more.’”

Those who are eligible for Moderna's half-dose booster are those 65 years and older, age 18+ who live in long-term care settings, have underlying medical conditions and who work or live in high-risk settings.

"The booster can be administered at least six months after their completion of the initial series," Heater said.

On the other hand, the eligibility for the Johnson & Johnson booster is broader. The criteria states that someone must be 18 or older and had their first dose two or more months before getting their booster.

"We really feel prepared that Oklahomans that want a booster dose will be able to find it," Heater said.

Mixing and matching vaccines for the booster dose has also been cleared.

"If an individual received a certain type of vaccine manufacturer for their initial series, they don't have to get that same manufacturer for their booster,” Heater said.

According to Heater, the Oklahoma State Department of Health estimated one million Oklahomans will be eligible for a booster through the end of October.