COLUMBUS, Ohio — Pharmacies in Ohio have enough resources to make COVID-19 booster shots easily available to residents in December, officials said.
What You Need To Know
- CVS, Kroger and Walmart are among the pharmacies in Ohio reporting open appointments
- Officials said there are adequate resources for Ohioans to get a COVID-19 booster shot this month
- One Columbus resident said the first pharmacy she checked had multiple appointments available
Ohio reached a milestone of 1 million booster shots administered on Nov. 10, and the demand has remained high since then with federal officials expanding eligibility to all adults on Nov. 19.
As of Tuesday, 1.91 million people in Ohio had received an additional vaccine dose, according to state data.
The demand for booster shots is expected to be steady this month, but pharmacies are generally able to schedule residents within a few days, according to the Ohio Pharmacists Association.
“We think the uptake has been very good. We don't have a lot of reporting back from pharmacies at this time, but I can tell you that they're extremely busy,” Executive Director Ernest Boyd said.
The CDC strengthened its booster shot recommendations on Nov. 29, saying that all adults 18 and older "should" get a third vaccine dose six months after their second shot of a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine, or two months after their initial Johnson & Johnson shot.
Erin Fair, 27, who lives in the Columbus area, said she had no trouble finding an appointment to get her booster shot. The first pharmacy she checked, a local Kroger, had numerous openings, including a Saturday timeslot that was convenient with her schedule, Fair said.
“I wanted to get it before the holidays because I will be traveling and seeing my family, and I don't want to get anybody sick if I can avoid it,” she said. “I'm really tired of this pandemic, so I’m trying to do my part.”
Among Ohioans in her demographic, aged 20 to 29, only 5.6% have taken booster shots, a much lower rate than older adults. About half of Ohio’s senior population has received a booster shot.
According to Ohio Department of Health data, people who completed the original vaccine series have fared much better against the virus than unvaccinated Ohioans. Since Jan. 1, 594 fully vaccinated people have died of COVID-19, compared to 12,372 deaths among those who were not fully vaccinated.
Boyd explained that booster shots are recommended for all adults because the vaccine efficacy is waning over time.
“Over time the shot is losing some of its effectiveness,” he said. “The booster just really increases the immunity of the patient quite a bit.”
Most people in Ohio are making appointments for boosters of the same vaccine that they originally received, Boyd said, but if only one type of vaccine is available, he said a Pfizer or Moderna will offer good protection.
Spectrum News asked several pharmacies with locations in Ohio about the availability of booster shots.
Jenifer Moore, a spokesperson for Kroger, said they have appointments available and patients should schedule ahead online.
“Appointment availability varies by area. However, we are prepared to assist customers and their families obtain booster shots,” Moore said.
CVS said it is scheduling booster shot appointments for eligible adults, reporting that pharmacies have adequate resources to make the shots available.
“We have the inventory and capacity to meet COVID-19 vaccine needs, including in areas of high demand,” spokesperson Tara Burke said. “We’re successfully meeting demand for COVID vaccinations for the 5-11 population and boosters for individuals 18 and over.”
Walmart said in a statement last week that it has booster shots available at all of its locations, with its pharmacies accepting appointments and walk-ins.
Health departments across Ohio are also administering booster shots. Columbus Public Health shared a schedule of vaccine clinic times on Facebook Monday when residents can walk in to get a shot.
In Cincinnati, the health department is offering booster shots most days of the week, scheduling appointments through ArmorVax.
The Cuyahoga County Board of Health is holding an upcoming booster clinic at its main office.
In addition to pharmacies and health departments, hospitals, health centers and doctor’s offices are administering boosters, among other providers. The Ohio Department of Health’s vaccine scheduling website can be used to book appointments with some of the state's providers.