What you need to know about getting a COVID-19 booster shot in Indiana
Rashika JaipuriarAll three COVID-19 vaccines are now authorized to be used as booster shots.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsed Moderna and Johnson & Johnson booster shots for certain populations Thursday evening, opening the doors for millions more people to receive increased protection from the virus.
Also notably, the CDC approved a mix-and-match approach, meaning people can receive a different booster vaccine than the initial vaccine they received. So for example, a person fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine could potentially receive a Moderna booster shot, and vice-versa.
Are you eligible to get your booster shot? How do you get one in Indiana? Here’s what you need to know.
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Can I get a booster shot?
The booster shot is available for some fully vaccinated individuals, depending on your eligibility group and when you completed your vaccination series. Just like initial vaccine doses, it is free of charge.
Right now, more than 3.3 million people are fully vaccinated in Indiana — that's about 57% of the state's eligible population. The majority of those people, about 92%, are Pfizer and Moderna recipients. The rest received the J&J vaccine.
Regardless of which vaccine you initially received, you may be eligible to receive a booster shot. Here is the CDC's latest criteria:
Pfizer and Moderna
Pfizer and Moderna vaccine recipients are eligible to get a booster shot at least six months after completing their vaccination series. The CDC recommends booster shots for the following groups:
- People 65 years and older
- People ages 18 and older who live in long-term care settings
- People ages 18 and older who have underlying conditions
- People ages 18 and older who who work or live in high-risk settings
Johnson & Johnson
The CDC recommends booster shots for all J&J recipients who received their primary vaccine at least two months ago.
Why is it OK to mix and match?
The FDA determined that the "known and potential benefits" of a mix-and-match booster dose "outweigh the known and potential risks of their use," according to an agency news release.
Officials authorized the approach Wednesday after analyzing clinical data from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and considering input from the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee.
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Side effects from Moderna's booster included tiredness and fever — similar to earlier doses — though the FDA states that "swollen lymph nodes in the underarm were observed more frequently" with the booster dose. J&J's safety analyses "have not identified new safety concerns," according to the FDA.
How do I get my booster shot?
Hoosiers can visit ourshot.in.gov or call 211 to schedule your shot, but most vaccination clinics continue to offer walk-in appointments. At the clinic, Hoosiers will be asked to attest that they meet the eligibility requirements, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.
The health department offers vaccinations and COVID-19 testing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The clinic runs Tuesdays through Saturday, from noon to 8 p.m., until Oct. 30. It's located in the IndyCar parking lot at 4551 W. 16th St. across from Gate 2.
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Hoosiers are encouraged to bring their vaccination cards, a spokesperson told IndyStar. To access your vaccination information online, visit the Indiana vaccination portal here. You will be asked to create an account with Access Indiana if you don't already have one.
Is there anything different about the booster doses?
The Moderna booster vaccine is half of the usual dose administered, according to the FDA. The Pfizer and J&J booster vaccines are the same dosages as the initial shots.
Moderna used the smaller dose because it restored the level of immunity as effectively as a larger dose, according to USA TODAY.
Am I fully vaccinated if I don't have a booster?
Yes. The CDC's definition of "fully vaccinated" remains the same — people who received two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or one dose of the J&J vaccine.
How many Hoosiers have received booster shots so far?
To date, nearly 250,000 Hoosiers have received additional doses. This includes both "booster doses" and "third doses" for immunocompromised people, which is a separate category.
In August, the FDA authorized a third Pfizer or Moderna dose for moderately to severely immunocompromised people, including organ transplant recipients or those in active cancer treatment. This guidance applies to a more narrow group of people, and these shots take place 28 days after either mRNA vaccine.
The more recently authorized booster doses applies to a broader group of Americans, including those who live or work in high-risk settings, such as first responders, teachers and grocery store workers.
What is the state of COVID-19 in Indiana now?
The expanded booster eligibility comes as Indiana recently surpassed 1 million COVID-19 cases. A late-summer surge, primarily due to the more contagious delta variant, appears to be waning as daily case numbers and hospitalizations are trending downward, according to the state's COVID-19 dashboard.
More than 15,000 Hoosiers have died during the pandemic.
In their last public briefing nearly a month ago, state health officials reemphasized the importance of vaccinations in avoiding severe COVID-19 outcomes, including hospitalization and death.
More than 3.3 million Hoosiers have been fully vaccinated. Of those, 57.69% received the Pfizer vaccine, 34.65% received the Moderna vaccine and 7.64% received Johnson & Johnson, according to the state health department.
IndyStar's Shari Rudavsky and USA TODAY's Elizabeth Weise contributed to this report.
Contact Rashika Jaipuriar at rjaipuriar@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @rashikajpr.