COVID-19 booster shots in Connecticut: Where to find them who should get them and why they matter

Experts say COVID-19 booster shots have become more important than ever as cases surge and the state waits for the arrival of the omicron variant.

“Right now, the key is still vaccination and it is still boosters,” Dr. Ulysses Wu, an infectious disease specialist at Hartford HealthCare, said Monday. “The only pathway out of this pandemic still remains vaccination, as well as masking and to a certain extent social distancing.”

Here is everything to know about COVID-19 booster shots in Connecticut.

Who should get a booster shot?

As of mid-November, all adults 18 and older who received a second COVID-19 vaccine dose in mid-May or earlier are eligible for a booster. Additionally, anyone who received a Johnson & Johnson vaccine is eligible for a booster two months after their shot.

Not only are all adults now able to get boosters, but as of this week the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that they do so.

“The recent emergence of the Omicron variant further emphasizes the importance of vaccination, boosters, and prevention efforts needed to protect against COVID-19,” CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement Monday.

People who are unsure for any reason whether they should get a booster are encouraged to discuss with a doctor.

Where are booster shots available?

Boosters are available in all the same places one might find a first or second COVID-19 vaccine dose.

In Connecticut, that includes physicians’ offices, public clinics and pharmacies, including CVS and Walgreens. People seeking to sign up for a booster shot can do so at ct.gov/covidvaccine or by reaching out to providers directly.

Additionally, temporary vaccine clinics continue to pop up throughout the state. On Wednesday, for example, the West Hartford-Bloomfield Health District will offer booster shots from 3-6 p.m. at Conard High School in West Hartford, with no pre-registration required.

Why do booster shots matter?

Research has shown immunity from COVID-19 vaccines wanes over time, particularly in older people and those with other health issues. Booster shots restore that immunity, returning a patient to approximately the level of protection they experienced when they were first vaccinated.

Officials say the importance of booster shots was made clear during a recent COVID-19 outbreak at a North Canaan nursing home, in which dozens of vaccinated residents tested positive and eight died.

“It was a highly vaccinated home, but boosters really weren’t available yet,” Dr. Manisha Juthani, the state’s public health commissioner, said. “It’s evidence of the fact that immunity does wane over time.”

Public officials and health experts have argued that booster shots are even more important now, as Connecticut awaits the arrival of the omicron variant, which is believed to be more transmissible than previous strains. In a statement Sunday, Gov. Ned Lamont said vaccination and booster shots are the best way to prepare for the new variant.

“This news of the omicron variant reminds us about the importance of being vaccinated and getting a booster,” Lamont said.

According to state numbers, unvaccinated residents have been about five times as likely as vaccinated residents to test positive for COVID-19 in recent weeks.

Which brand should you get?

The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration say vaccine recipients are allowed to mix and match shots, meaning someone who got, say, a Johnson & Johnson vaccine originally may get a Moderna booster.

Juthani has said that while Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna recipients may want to stick with the same brands for their booster shots, Johnson & Johnson recipients should pursue one of the others.

“With Johnson & Johnson, what’s pretty clear is that after two months your immunity starts to wane,” she said. “You can get a Johnson & Johnson booster, but certainly your response in terms of immunity is much higher if you get an mRNA booster, whether it be Moderna or Pfizer.”

Many vaccine providers, including Walgreens and CVS, list which vaccine is provided at a given location so people seeking booster shots can choose which brand they receive.

How many people in Connecticut have gotten booster shots so far?

As of Tuesday, 595,394 Connecticut residents had received booster shots, according to CDC data, accounting for about a quarter of fully vaccinated adults in the state.

Uptake has been higher among Connecticut’s older residents, with 52.8% of those 65 and older having gotten a booster.

Despite ranking as the nation’s most vaccinated state by some measures, Connecticut trails several states, including several in New England, in its share of residents having received a booster.

Alex Putterman can be reached at aputterman@courant.com.