CDC shortens Moderna booster dose interval to 5 months

The following is a press release from the Louisiana Department of Health:

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its recommendations for the Moderna booster, shortening the six month interval between completing the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine series and receiving a booster dose to five months.

Earlier this week, the booster interval was shortened for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine as well. This means that individuals 12 and older who initially received an mRNA vaccine series (two doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine) should now receive an mRNA booster dose five months after completing their initial series. The booster interval recommendation for people who initially received the J&J vaccine (two months) has not changed.

The Louisiana Department of Health has reviewed the latest CDC recommendation and alerted all vaccine providers in the state that this guidance is effective immediately.

Data show that COVID-19 boosters help broaden and strengthen protection against Omicron and other SARS-CoV-2 variants.

COVID-19 vaccines are widely available at more than 1,000 locations in all of Louisiana’s 64 parishes, including at pharmacies, hospitals, healthcare clinics, and doctor’s offices.

For a list of locations near you, visit ldh.la.gov/covidvaccine or text your ZIP code to GETVAX (438829) in English or VACUNA (822862) in Spanish. If you have questions or need help scheduling an appointment, call 211 or the Louisiana vaccine hotline at 1-855-453-0774. The vaccine hotline can also connect you with medical professionals who can answer your questions.

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