Eligible New Yorkers Can Get Another Free COVID Booster Shot

Two Southern Tier counties are reporting additions to the COVID-19 death toll.

Broome on April 1 announced its death toll had risen to 501 residents while Chenango County’s death toll rose by one to 119.  Chenango County’s morbidity had been steady at 118 since March 8.

Broome County reported 68 new cases of COVID 19 in it’s April 1 update.

As a new subvariant of the Omicron mutation of the coronavirus has taken over as the primary strain of infection, the Food and Drug Administration has approved Emergency Use Authorization for a second booster shot.

Friday, April 1, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that residents age 50 and older who received their first booster shot at least four months ago are eligible for another free Pfizer or Moderna booster at state-operated vaccine sites.  Boosters are also available at county locations and pharmacies.

That would put the date of the first booster shot in eligible adults at or before December 1.

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The recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also allows for adults ages 18 to 49 who received the Johnson & Johnson primary vaccine and an initial booster to also receive a second booster four months after their first booster shot.  Also eligible are New Yorkers 12 and older who are moderately to severely immunocompromised.

In Broome go to www.gobroomecounty.com for information on county and state-operated clinics.

The Governor’s office says New Yorkers should make sure providers are administering second booster doses when they schedule their appointments.