There is plenty of talk regarding COVID-19 vaccine boosters and some places you may hear about third doses. What exactly are the differences, and which one will you need?

Let’s break it down into the simplest terms:

COVID-19 boosters are for people age 18 or older who have finished their original vaccine series, and their protection against the virus may have weakened over time. Boosters are usually half of the first dose.

A third or additional dose is given to people with comorbidities or immunocompromised conditions. Often the same dose as the first series, it is intended to improve “at-risk people’s” responses to their initial COVID-19 vaccine series and offer increased protection from experiencing severe symptoms if exposed. Depending on the original series received, the recommended dose may vary. 

Please talk to your healthcare provider if you have any questions. To learn more, visit CHC’s COVID-19 Patient Resource page: https://www.communityhealthcenters.org/patient…/covid-19/