UNION COUNTY, NJ— January 11, 2022 — In accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations, the County of Union will now offer booster shots to eligible, vaccinated children aged 12 and older, beginning today, Tuesday, January 11, 2022.
“As we continue to combat the winter spike in COVID-19 cases, we are now offering the booster to eligible children over the age of 12,” said Chair Rebecca Williams. “Union County strongly urges parents and guardians to get their vaccinated adolescents boosted as this will help provide even greater protection against severe symptoms of this virus and will continue to keep our children healthy, safe and protected.”
Union County residents who are eligible for a COVID-19 booster shot can receive a booster free of charge through Union County’s COVID-19 vaccination program at all of the Union County sites (Kean University in Union, Warinanco Ice Skating Center in Roselle & Plainfield High School in Plainfield) from Tuesday – Saturday. Residents can make an appointment and find the full schedule of the vaccines and boosters on the County’s website at http://www.ucnj.org/covid19.
At this time, adolescents aged 12 through 17 years old may only receive a Pfizer booster, while adults aged 18 and older may receive any of the FDA-authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson) as a booster.
Below is the most current information on recommendations for receiving a booster:
- Everyone aged 12 and older who completed their initial 2-dose vaccination series with Pfizer at least five months ago;
- Everyone aged 18 years and older who completed their initial 2-dose vaccination series with Moderna at least six months ago;
- Everyone aged 18 years and older who received a Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago.
People age 5+ who are moderately or severely immunocompromised should get an additional primary shot of Pfizer- COVID-19 vaccine 28 days after their second dose
In addition, the CDC has also updated its recommendation for when people can receive a booster shot, shortening the interval to 5 months for people who received all mRNA boosters of COVID vaccines.
“The health and well-being of our residents is our top priority and it is critical that we do all that we can to protect our children from the effects of the COVID-19 infection,” said Commissioner Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded, Chair of the Commissioner Board’s Public Safety Committee. “This booster will provide our youngest residents with an extra dose of protection they need as they return to school and extra-curricular activities and our Commissioner Board will continue to ensure that we have the necessary tools and resources required to combat this virus, together.”
Residents who are not yet vaccinated are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The COVID-19 virus and its variants are still actively circulating throughout New Jersey and elsewhere, exposing Union County residents to additional risks when breakthrough infections. When breakthrough COVID-19 infections occur, vaccination has been proven to significantly reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death, as well as reducing the risk of permanent, long term health impacts and avoiding the financial consequences of hospitalization and follow-up care.
Residents wishing to make an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine can visit www.ucnj.org/vax or call the County of Union Covid-19 Vaccination and Testing hotline 908-613-7VAX (7829)
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For more information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including free vaccination, free testing, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.
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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.
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