NYC health commissioner: Providers shouldn’t turn away patients requesting boosters
New York City Health Commissioner Dr. David Chokshi released a statement on Twitter on Monday regarding booster shots. He tweeted he’s issuing a “Commissioner’s Advisory to ALL health care providers emphasizing our guidance and ensuring there are no access barriers.”
“Clinicians should allow adult patients to determine their own risk of exposure, based on their individual circumstances,” Chokshi tweeted. “In practice, this means that providers should not turn a patient away if they request a booster … as long as they are 18 and older and it has been at least 6 months since a Moderna or Pfizer dose or at least 2 months since a Johnson & Johnson dose.”
The move appears to make the shots more widely available than the current CDC guidance recommends.
Current CDC guidance states:
- If you got the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine series: Boosters can be given to people at least six months after the last shot for those ages 65 and older, or people 18 and older who have an underlying medical condition or work or live in high-risk settings.
- If you got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine: Boosters are approved for anyone over the age of 18 at least two months after the shot.
On Long Island, one pharmacist said some pharmacies are already giving the booster to anyone over 18 who requests it and not interrogating them about whether they qualify.
Read more on these developments in this story by Newsday’s Bart Jones.
Plus: The second Thanksgiving of the pandemic is approaching, with more get-togethers and celebrations on the way. I’ve compiled the latest official guidance for what you need to know ahead of traveling and gathering this season, in addition to updates on COVID-19 at-home rapid testing and booster shots.
And: Can at-home COVID-19 tests make holiday gatherings safer? The Associated Press answers some questions.
The map below shows the concentration of new cases reported recently in communities across Long Island.
Search that map and view more charts showing the latest local trends in vaccinations, testing, hospitalizations, deaths and more.
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Erin Serpico is an assistant web producer who joined Newsday in November 2018. Originally from New Jersey, she now covers community events and produces local content for newsday.com while also helping run the homepage.
