The City of Evanston will provide eligible individuals with Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster shots following updated guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.   

Last week, CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky endorsed the recommendation by the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for a booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine in certain populations and also recommended a booster dose for those in high-risk occupational and institutional settings. The updated interim guidance from CDC allows for millions of Americans who are at highest risk for COVID-19 to receive a Pfizer booster shot to help increase their protection. 

Who is recommended to get a booster shot

CDC recommendations apply only to those who previously received a Pfizer-BioNTech primary series (i.e. the first two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine). The CDC recommends: 

  • People 65 and older and residents in long-term care settings should receive a booster shot of the Pfizer-vaccine at least six months after their Pfizer primary series,
  • People 50 to 64 years old with underlying medical conditions should receive a booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine at least six months after their primary series, 
  • People 18 to 49 years old with underlying medical conditions may receive a booster shot of the Pfizer-vaccine at least six months after their primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks, and 
  • People 18 to 64 who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine at least six months after their Pfizer primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks.   

Occupations at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission include front-line essential workers, first responders and health care workers. The CDC website provides a more detailed list of occupations at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure.

Individuals can talk to their healthcare provider about whether getting a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster shot is appropriate for them.  

How to get a booster shot

Eligible individuals may contact their health-care provider or visit vaccines.gov to find a nearby location to receive a booster dose. Vaccine appointments are free and widely available.

The City of Evanston will also provide booster doses to eligible individuals at weekly vaccination clinics beginning in October. Individuals who would like to receive their booster dose through the City of Evanston should complete the City’s Vaccine Booster Survey available at cityofevanston.org/vaccine.

Why get a booster shot

Booster shots will help strengthen protection against severe disease in those populations who are at high risk for exposure to COVID-19 or the complications from severe disease. 

Information for those who received the Moderna or J&J vaccines

At this time, people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems who received the Moderna vaccine are eligible for an additional dose 28 days after receiving their second shot. Additional doses of the Moderna vaccine are not recommended for any other population.  

Pfizer-BioNTech booster authorization only applies to people whose primary series was the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. More data on the effectiveness and safety of Moderna and J&J booster shots are expected soon. With those data in hand, CDC will keep the public informed with a timely plan for Moderna and J&J booster shots.  

More information about COVID-19 booster shots, including frequently asked questions, are available on the CDC website, at cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html.

For more information, visit cityofevanston.org/covid19 or call/text 847-448-4311. For convenience, residents may simply dial 311 in Evanston.