COVID booster shot in consideration for most Americans, how Riverside County prepares
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering recommending an extra dose of the coronavirus vaccine for all Americans. The CDC recently released a presentation about considering the possibility of a booster shot.
Recently the CDC approved a booster shot for people who have a weakened immune system. However, that approval could soon include all Americans. The white house is expected to announce this week that anyone who got the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine should also get a booster shot eight months after their second dose.
Riverside County said as far as supply goes, it won't be an issue. They said there are enough vaccine doses for anyone that wants and qualifies for a booster shot.
"We're just trying to get the other procedures in place to when you show up," said Riverside County spokesperson Jose Arballo. "Because remember, we had this kind of thing at the beginning, people that had compromised systems, so we had to have a procedure in place, we're going to reinstitute something, and be able to, you know, screen people to make sure they're eligible."
Arballo said the county currently has no plans to add any more vaccine sites, however, it will consider adding more if it's needed to help vaccine distribution. If booster shots are recommended for all, Riverside County will have to juggle two things: convincing new people to get the vaccine, and convincing fully vaccinated people to get the booster shot.
"So there's going to be a segment of the population that no matter what we do, or how clever we are, how whatever we are, they're just not going to get vaccinated," said Arballo. "And we understand that. So we're looking for that set of the population, the segment of the population that's kind of wavering or isn't sure. And we're saying right now is a good time to get it."
Not everyone agrees with the Biden administration's expected recommendation. The World Health Organization said the two-dose M-RNA vaccines give long-lasting immunity and will not change its recommendation unless the science says otherwise.
