Local health leaders urge children over 5 to get COVID booster shot

On Friday, Public Health Seattle and King County urged that everyone over five years of age should get a COVID-19 booster shot.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory panel met Thursday and determined that children ages 5-11 are eligible for COVID booster shots.

Public Health noted that not all vaccination locations are ready to immediately give booster shots to this age group and suggests checking ahead about vaccine availability before going to get a shot.

Children’s boosters will be available at Public Health’s Auburn location starting Saturday, and at the Bellevue/Eastgate site starting Monday.

Appointments are encouraged in the first week.

Public Health recommends that first booster shots should be given five months after the primary and second dose of Pfizer or Moderna, or two months after one dose of Johnson & Johnson.

People who are eligible for a second booster shot include people 50 and older, people 12 and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, and people 18 and older who received Johnson & Johnson for their primary and first booster doses.

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