Want a COVID vaccine booster? Here’s where to get a shot in Florida if you’re eligible
CVS, Walmart and Sam’s Club stores in Florida and across the country began offering Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine boosters on Friday.
Publix also started offering boosters Friday in four Florida counties — Brevard, Duval, Orange and Polk. All other Publix stores in Florida will offer booster shots starting Saturday. Walgreens will also begin scheduling booster appointments on Saturday.
Miami-Dade County also expects to have booster doses available at its county-run sites starting sometime next week, and no appointment will be needed. County-run sites include Tropical Park, Zoo Miami and Miami Dade College North campus.
The news follows the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s authorization of Pfizer’s COVID booster this week for people 65 and older and other high risk groups at least six months after being fully vaccinated. The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommended the shot.
Here’s what to know:
Who can get Pfizer’s COVID booster?
To get the booster, you must have completed the two-dose Pfizer series. People who received Moderna or Johnson & Johnson’s vaccines are not eligible.
Besides seniors, other people eligible for the booster include people 18 and older who meet one of the following conditions:
▪ Is a long-term care facility resident
▪ Has an underlying health condition that makes them at risk for severe COVID illness. Eligible conditions include, but are not limited to, cancer, diabetes type 1 and 2, pregnancy, obesity and chronic kidney disease.
▪ Has a job that makes them at increased risk for being exposed to COVID-19 and falling ill with the disease. This includes healthcare workers and essential workers such as teachers and grocery store workers.
▪ People who have already received a third dose of Pfizer because they were moderately to severely immunocompromised can also receive a booster dose at least six months after their third shot, Walgreens said.
How to get your Pfizer COVID booster at a Florida retail pharmacy
Pfizer COVID boosters were available Friday at Publix stores in Brevard, Duval, Orange and Polk counties. Starting Saturday, boosters will become available at other Publix pharmacies, including in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties.
Publix will not accept appointments this weekend for the boosters. You can just walk in, and if a shot is available and you qualify, you can get it. Appointments can be made through publix.com/covidvaccine if you want to get your shot starting Monday.
Walmart, Winn-Dixie, Fresco y Más and Sam’s Club are offering the boosters by appointment and walk-in. Availability will depend on supply. To schedule an appointment at Walmart, visit walmart.com/covid. For Sam’s Club, visit samsclub.com/covid. For Winn-Dixie, visit winndixie.com/pharmacy/covid-vaccine. For Fresco y Más, visit frescoymas.com/pharmacy/covid-vaccine.
Appointments for Walgreens can be made online through Walgreens.com/ScheduleVaccine, by calling 800-WALGREENS or your local Walgreens. CVS Health, which owns Navarro Discount Pharmacies, CVS y mas, and traditional CVS stores, is scheduling booster appointments at more than 600 stores across Florida. To make an appointment, visit CVS.com.
Patients will be asked to verify their eligibility when the appointment is scheduled and at the time of the appointment.
Anyone who plans to get the booster will need to show their CDC vaccination card. If you lost your card, you must bring information about the vaccine series, such as a copy of your immunization records, to get your booster and receive a new CDC vaccine card.
Patients with a registered Walgreens pharmacy account can access their vaccine records online or through the company’s mobile app. People who got their shot through CVS, Walmart or Sam’s Club can also access their digital vaccine record online through the company’s website.
This story was originally published September 24, 2021 at 11:35 AM.
