COVID-19 Boosters Are OK’d for All Adults—but Is It Too Late to Prevent a Post-Holiday Spike?

With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention following the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to allow COVID-19 booster shots for all individuals over the age of 18, urgent care providers are emboldened to take the next step in their efforts to offer added protection to patients who completed their initial immunization at least 6 months ago. The CDC also strengthened a recommendation that everyone over the age of 50 should get a third dose of the vaccine. The news comes simultaneously with reports that cases of COVID-19 are mounting, especially in the Midwest, as well as concerns that Thanksgiving travel and large gatherings could lead to a jump in new cases. As of November 22, 2021 more than 70 million adults are eligible for booster shots. In the coming weeks, however, that figure will jump to over 120 million, according to the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.