Students check-in at the Student Center South Ballroom to receive their Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 booster vaccine. | Lisa El-Amin/The Cougar
Students, faculty and staff who previously received both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine were eligible to get the boosters yesterday at an on-campus COVID-19 vaccine booster clinic.
In a clinic partnered with H-E-B, UH Wellness administered booster shots at Student Center South to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
“We are trying to get as many students, faculty and staff immunized as we can to protect us so that we can keep moving forward instead of taking several steps back,” said UH Wellness and human resources administrator Court Stein. “The best way to do that is through education and vaccination.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and public health officials recommend getting the booster shot because the effectiveness of the COVID vaccine will potentially decrease over time, especially with those at high risk of contracting the virus.
“Mixing and matching of boosters is allowed, with the eligible group and timing based on the primary vaccine series,” said H-E-B pharmacy regional immunization coordinator Jeenal Patel. “A booster dose is administered six months after completion of the initial Pfizer or Moderna series or two months after receipt of Janssen to help the immune system increase protection against COVID-19.”
Those who received the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine and are 65 years and older, or individuals ages 18-64 with chronic health conditions and are of high-risk are able to get the booster.
All recipients of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine 18 years and older can also receive the booster.
“I do COVID testing a lot, so I get exposed to people with COVID on a daily basis,” said biology student Jonathan Dullen who got his booster shot at the clinic. “So for me it’s about making sure that I’m safe, making sure if I come back home that I’m not exposing anyone, and just making sure patients I work that are getting treatment aren’t going to get exposed.”
For some members of the UH community, the importance of being vaccinated and getting the additional booster shot are a part of the eagerness to get back into a normal routine.
“Super happy to get the booster because I got vaccinated as soon as I was able to,” said music education student Maggie Bishop. “And while the vaccination has been pretty effective in lowering the effect of COVID, I’m all for being even more safe.”
