COVID-19 booster frequently asked questions

Common questions related to COVID-19 vaccine booster doses.

What is a booster?

Do I need a booster?

Staying up to date on vaccines, including boosters, is the most effective way to prevent serious illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. While vaccine protection decreases over time, boosters restimulate the immune system and increase vaccine efficacy again. Boosters are an important defense, even if you’ve already had COVID.

What are the updated boosters that were just approved? 

The new COVID-19 booster vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer are updated versions of the original vaccines. These updated boosters were recently authorized by the FDA and recommended by the CDC. 

Who should get the new booster?    

Anyone age 5 or older who completed a primary COVID-19 vaccination series or received a booster dose at least two months ago should get the updated booster as soon as possible. Individuals without access to the internet or who are unable to schedule their appointment online can call the COVID-19 Vaccine Resource Line toll free 2-1-1 or 877-211-6277 for assistance with setting up an appointment. 

When and where can I get the updated booster?   

Updated boosters are available now. You can get boosters where you received previous vaccines, including doctor’s offices, hospitals, pharmacies, and community health clinics.  

Am I fully vaccinated without a booster?

You are fully vaccinated without a booster if it has been at least 2 weeks since you got your first J&J shot or your second Pfizer, Moderna or Novavax shot, according to the CDC. 

Am I considered “up to date” without a booster?

As with vaccines for other diseases, people are best protected against infection with the virus that causes COVID-19 when they stay up to date with vaccinations.

A person is up to date with their COVID-19 vaccination if they have received all doses in the primary series and all boosters recommended, when eligible. 

Is the booster free?

Yes, the booster is free. You do not need to pay, have ID, or have health insurance to get a booster.

If I need a booster shot, does that mean that the vaccines aren’t working?

No. COVID-19 vaccines are working well to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death, even against the widely circulating variants. However, public health experts are starting to see reduced protection, especially among certain populations, against mild and moderate disease.

People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised have specific COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, including recommendations for a booster. Learn more about COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.

Eligibility

Who is eligible to get a booster?

CDC recommends everyone ages 5 years and older receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster after completing their primary COVID-19 vaccination series.  

A new COVID-19 booster vaccine has been recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These new COVID-19 booster vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer are updated versions of the original vaccines. Anyone age 5 or older who completed a primary COVID-19 vaccination series or received a booster dose at least two months ago should get the updated booster as soon as possible. 

Use this CDC tool to determine when or if you (or your child) can get one or more COVID-19 boosters — Find out when you can get your booster 

Your booster does not need to be the same vaccine brand as your original COVID-19 vaccination, but does need to be age appropriate (currently Pfizer for ages 5 and older, and Moderna for ages 6 and older).

Can I mix and match my booster dose?

Yes. Your booster does not need to be the same vaccine brand as your original COVID-19 vaccination, but does need to be age appropriate (currently Pfizer for ages 5 and up, and Moderna for ages 6 and up).  

Do I need to be a Massachusetts resident to get a booster? What if I lived somewhere else when I got my initial COVID-19 vaccine doses?

You can get a booster in Massachusetts if you live, work or study here.

What if I don’t know when I received my last COVID-19 vaccine shot?

To learn when you are eligible for a booster dose, you should consult your CDC vaccination record card for the date of your second COVID-19 vaccination. If you do not have your vaccination card, contact your primary care provider or the retail pharmacy where you were first vaccinated. If that is not possible, learn how to obtain your vaccination record, which could take up to 2 weeks, by visiting www.mass.gov/myvaxrecord.

How can I find out which vaccine I received?

If you do not have your vaccination card, contact your primary care provider or the retail pharmacy where you were first vaccinated. If that is not possible, learn how to obtain your vaccination record, which could take up to 2 weeks, by visiting www.mass.gov/myvaxrecord.

If I have already had COVID, should I still get a booster? 

Yes. Getting a COVID-19 booster gives most people a high level of protection against COVID-19 even in people who have already been sick with COVID-19.

After having COVID, how long do I need to wait to get a booster?

You should wait until your 10-day period of isolation is over and any symptoms have improved.  This to ensure that you don’t spread COVID-19 to others.

Should I still get a booster if I received a monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID? How long do I need to wait to get a booster after treatment?

Yes. Per CDC, individuals who received monoclonal antibodies for treatment of COVID-19 should get a booster when eligible and do not need to wait to receive a COVID-19 booster.

Getting a booster

How do I get a booster?

There are hundreds of locations across the Commonwealth for residents to receive a COVID-19 booster shot.

In order to find a convenient location for getting a COVID-19 Booster:

• Visit the VaxFinder tool at vaxfinder.mass.gov for a list of locations to receive a booster. Residents will be able to narrow results to search for locations that are offering the booster of their choice.
• If you are unable to use VaxFinder, or have difficulty accessing the internet, please contact the COVID-19 Vaccine Resource Line (Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) by calling 2-1-1 and following the prompts. The COVID-19 Vaccine Resource Line is available in English and Spanish and has translators available in approximately 100 additional languages.

Do I need to show my vaccine card or other proof of being fully vaccinated to get my booster?

If you have your vaccine card it is helpful so that your booster dose can be added to it, but you do not need to show your CDC vaccination card to get your booster. You will be asked to self-attest that you meet eligibility requirements such as age, health conditions, or occupation. 

There are no ID, or health insurance requirements. Your vaccinator may choose to look up your vaccine records to confirm the type of vaccine you received before.

I got vaccinated at a MassVax site, where do I go to get my booster dose?

You can get a booster shot anywhere they are available including your primary care provider, a retail pharmacy or a community vaccination clinic. Or you can use VaxFinder to find a location.

Can I just walk-in or do I need to book an appointment?

Walk-ins and appointments will be available at retail pharmacies, however, residents are encouraged to book an appointment via VaxFinder or directly with their provider.

Can I book an appointment by calling 2-1-1?

Yes. Individuals without access to the internet or who are unable to schedule their appointment online can call the COVID-19 Vaccine Resource Line toll free 2-1-1 or 877-211-6277 for assistance with setting up an appointment.

Can I get my booster vaccine at home?

Yes. If you have trouble getting to a vaccine clinic, you can use the In-Home Vaccination Program. Visit http://mass.gov/vaccinesathome for more information.

Should people expect to get sick after the third dose?

Current data indicates that side effects following the additional dose are similar to those after the second dose. Common side effects are generally mild such as localized pain, redness or swelling at the injection site, and fatigue, headache, and low-grade fever. Serious adverse events are rare.

Can I get a flu vaccination at the same time as my COVID-19 booster?

Yes. You can get a COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccinations like a flu or shingles vaccine at the same time or close together, according to the CDC.

COVID-19 Boosters - Fast Facts - in multiple languages

COVID-19 Boosters: Fast Facts

Language	PDF	Word Document
English	COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters - Fast Facts	DOC
Spanish	Vacunas de refuerzo contra el COVID-19: Datos rápidos	DOC
Portuguese	Reforços da vacina contra o COVID-19: Fatos rápidos	DOC
Simplified Chinese	新冠病毒 COVID-19 疫苗加强剂： 事实信息概览	DOC
Traditional Chinese	COVID-19加強針：基本概況	DOC
Haitian Creole	Vaksen Rapèl COVID-19: Enfòmasyon rapid	DOC
Vietnamese	Thông Tin về Liều Bồi Dưỡng COVID-19: Thông Tin Nhanh	DOC
Albanian	Përforcuesit e COVID-19-tës: Fakte të shpejta	DOC
Arabic	الجرعات المعززة للقاح كوفيد-19: حقائق سريعة - إليك ما تحتاج إلى معرفة	DOC
Cape Verdean	Dózi di riforsu di vasina kóntra COVID-19: Faktus Inpurtanti	DOC
Khmer	ថ្នាំ COVID-19 ចាក់បន្ថែម៖ ការណ៍ពិតរហ័ស	DOC
Russian	Бустерные прививки против COVID-19: коротко о главном	DOC
Somali	Kobciyeyaasha COVID-19: Xaqiiqooyinka Degdega ah	DOC