Dear Superintendents and School Leaders,
The County of San Diego held a press conference this afternoon on COVID-19 vaccine booster shots. At the press conference, San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Nathan Fletcher reiterated the
recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) around COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for people who were initially vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine.
- CDC recommends that the following groups should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after completing their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series (i.e., the first two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine):
- People 65 and older
- Residents 18 and older in long-term care settings
- People aged 50-64 with underlying medical conditions
- CDC also recommends that the following groups may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after completing their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks:
- People aged 18-49 years with underlying medical conditions
- People aged 18-64 years at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting, including education staff (teachers, support staff, day care workers)
Again, these recommendations only apply to people who previously received the Pfizer vaccine, not to those who received Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, or any other COVID-19 vaccine.
The county is directing those who wish to get booster shots to begin with their health care provider or local pharmacy. Should that not be an option, the county is continuing to operate
vaccination sites across the region.
The San Diego County Office of Education is in touch with the County of San Diego and California Schools Voluntary Employees Benefits Association (VEBA) to understand if there are any plans specifically to address booster shots for school employees. We will share updates as they are available.
In the meantime, we have prepared
this template letter in English and Spanish for your use in communicating with school employees about the new recommendation.
Thank you for all that you do. As always, please reach out if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Paul
Dr. Paul Gothold
San Diego County Superintendent of Schools
phone: 858-295-6641
