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DENVER (KDVR) — Should you get a booster shot? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people who got Pfizer or Moderna vaccines only get boosters if they’re in a vulnerable population, but the Colorado health department is going further and saying anyone over the age of 18 should get the extra shot.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has been saying Coloradans who want the booster should get it, and he did so loudly by getting a booster shot himself on Friday.

Dr. Jaya Kumar, chief medical officer at Swedish Medical Center told the Problem Solvers the Food and Drug Administration and CDC have been clear about who needs boosters right now.

“It’s better to wait for data to come in and get the booster when you qualify,” Kumar said. “People who do not qualify should not be concerned at this time but as more data comes, we will reevaluate, and we will follow FDA and CDC recommendations on those groups of populations who have not been recommended for a booster dose yet.”

Groups authorized under the new guidelines include people who received their first Moderna or Pfizer shot six months ago:

  • 65 years and older
  • Age 18+ who live in long-term care settings
  • Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions
  • Age 18+ who work or live in high-risk settings

Boosters have been approved for any adult who got a Johnson & Johnson shot more than six months ago.
Pharmacies are major providers of vaccines. Safeway told us they are following guidance from the CDC and FDA too.

“If you are healthy and your occupation keeps you at home, you are technically not eligible for a booster at this time and that’s just really because you are not having that contact with the general public on a regular basis like many other occupations or you know a health condition is not necessitating additional antibodies at this point,” said Nikki Price, director of pharmacy operations for Albertsons-Safeway pharmacies for the Denver division.

If you are looking to get a booster dose, check with a provider ahead of time to make sure they will give you one.