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Good day,
We hope you are doing great!
As you may have heard or will hear in the news, an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna, or Novavax) is available for seniors 65+. To reduce the amount of calls we are getting with questions we thought the best way to communicate some information was through email.
Who is Eligible?
1) 65+ years old and received your last COVID-19 vaccine over 4 months ago [anyone who received their COVID-19 vaccine BEFORE November 2023].
If it has not been 4 months, just add 4 months to the date you received your last vaccine to determine when you can get it.
2) If you have family members who are under 65 AND immunocompromised, they also are eligible with the same recommendation of last COVID-19 vaccine over 4 months ago
If you have contracted COVID since getting the vaccine, you should wait 3 months after you tested positive.
Why has this been approved? I thought it was once a year?
While the dose you received this fall/winter is highly effective, protection wanes over time especially in those who are older or immunocompromised. We, too, had thought it was once a year like the flu shot but as time has passed, CDC has changed their recommendation due to a number of reasons.
-COVID-related hospitalizations for adults 65 and older have been consistently higher than for all other age groups.
-About two-thirds of Covid hospitalizations are people in this age group --Seniors make up the greatest proportion of those who died in a hospital with Covid and have the highest numbers of deaths even after they’ve been discharged.
-Over the past four years, there’s tended to be both a winter and a summer wave of Covid, with cases peaking in January and August, respectively
-An additional vaccine dose can provide added protection that may have decreased over time for those at highest risk
Is this a new vaccine?
No, it is the same vaccine you had gotten before, just a "boost"
Does my insurance cover the vaccine?
Insured or not, we have you covered with COVID-19 vaccines with no cost to you.
I want to get this additional dose, which vaccine should I get?
You can get either the Pfizer OR Moderna COVID-19 vacccine (you can get either one irrespective of what brand vaccine you had before). Both have shown great efficacy and if you are not sure, you have the option to let our pharmacist/vaccinator choose for you.
Since I am coming in to get this booster, can I get any other vaccines while I am there?
Yes, many had gotten the flu & COVID-19 vaccine together (one in each arm in the fall), you still can get multiple vaccines on the same day if you would like [we would only recommend this IF you have not had any bad reactions to previous vaccines].
If you aren't caught up, here are the most common routine vaccines people have been catching up on which are all no cost through Medicare/most insurance plans.
RSV Vaccine (came out this past fall and we've given approx 2,000 seniors this vaccine with no issues)
Shingles Vaccine (if you haven't received the new "Shingrix" vaccine (2 doses), it is now available; if you have only gotten 1 dose, you can complete the series even if it has been past 6 months)
Pneumonia Vaccine (Prevnar 20), pneumonia vaccine if you have not received the newest pneumonia vaccine within the past 5 years.
Find out more about all of these different vaccines on our site & if you have any questions on what vaccines you need, ask your doctor, send us an email, or stop in and speak to one of our vaccine specialists & we'd be happy to chat.
How can I sign up?
Save some time and sign up on our website: www.SkippackPharmacy.com/COVID19/vaccine
Walk In & fill out a paper form in person.
All vaccines are administered at Skippack Pharmacy's Immunization Center Monday-Friday from 10AM-6PM and Saturday from 11AM-2PM.
Click a button below to begin:
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