Eligible Duke students can now receive an optional COVID-19 booster shot on campus through Student Health, Director of Student Health John Vaughn wrote in a Tuesday morning email to students.
Duke students who received their last Moderna or Pfizer vaccination over six months ago or single Johnson & Johnson vaccination over two months ago are eligible for the booster. Students receiving the J&J booster shot must be 18 or older.
To schedule an appointment, students can call Student Health at 919-681-9355 and select option 1. Appointments for Moderna booster vaccines are available Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. J&J booster vaccines are available Tuesdays and Fridays between the same hours.
Student Health is not offering Pfizer booster vaccines “due to storage requirement considerations,” Vaughn wrote in a separate email to The Chronicle. Those interested in receiving the Pfizer vaccine have been directed to contact Duke Health or a local pharmacy.
At this time, booster vaccines remain optional for eligible Duke students.
Eligible faculty and staff members can schedule appointments online and receive booster vaccinations at ongoing Employee Vaccination Clinics. Employee clinics are offering all three booster vaccines: Moderna, J&J, and Pfizer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that individuals can mix-and-match vaccines, meaning one can receive any of the three authorized boosters regardless of the initial brand of vaccine they received. However, Duke medical experts suggest that those who received the J&J vaccine should receive either a Pfizer or Moderna booster shot, Vaughn wrote to students Tuesday.
Despite the fact that booster shots are optional as of now, Duke wants all eligible students to receive one to further prevent possible infection. “We strongly encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to get one soon,” Vaughn wrote to students.
Up-to-date information on COVID-19 booster shots can be found on the Student Health website and at Duke’s COVID-19 Vaccine website.
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Vishal Jammulapati is a Trinity sophomore and an associate news editor of The Chronicle's 118th volume.