On Wednesday, March 30th, The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) issued revised guidelines for COVID-19 vaccinations.
Some Marylanders may be eligible for a second booster dose of either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines in accordance with revised Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations. CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky explained the need to expand booster eligibility in a press release:
CDC expanded eligibility for an additional booster dose for certain individuals who may be at higher risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19. Boosters are safe, and people over the age of 50 can now get an additional booster 4 months after their prior dose to increase their protection further. This is especially important for those 65 and older and those 50 and older with underlying medical conditions that increase their risk for severe disease from COVID-19 as they are the most likely to benefit from receiving an additional booster dose at this time. CDC, in collaboration with FDA and our public health partners, will continue to evaluate the need for additional booster doses for all Americans.
According to MDH, Marylanders eligible for a second booster dose include:
- Individuals 50 years or older; and
- Immunocompromised individuals 12 years or older.
Second booster doses will be available to eligible individuals who received their last shot at least four months ago. Boosters should be prioritized by individuals that live in long-term care settings, those that have underlying medical conditions, and those that work or live in high-risk settings or in communities with high transmission rates.
At present, all Marylanders over the age of 5 are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, with children ages 5 to 17 years olds only eligible for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. MDH continues to advise all unvaccinated Marylanders to get vaccinated and receive booster doses.
Eligible Marylanders can find a vaccination site here.
