The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a press release on Nov. 18, stating that the COVID-19 booster shot is now available to everyone aged 18 and older. The shot is only available to those in said age group who received their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine at least six months prior to the date of their booster shot appointment.

When getting a booster shot people can mix and match so they can get a Moderna booster shot after they’ve received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

In the press release, CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky stated that, ”Booster shots have demonstrated the ability to safely increase people’s protection against infection and severe outcomes and are an important public health tool to strengthen our defenses against the virus as we enter the winter holidays.”

According to TIME, getting a booster shot is important because, “[In countries like Israel who’ve been] vaccinated for a longer period of time than in the U.S., infections among vaccinated people are possible, and some of those people are sick enough to need hospitalization.”

Sonoma State alumna Natella Guy stated that she would be receiving her booster shot soon because she believes, “…getting the booster shot adds a little more protection. I have friends in Switzerland who won’t be able to get their booster until January of 2022 due to a shortage.” 

The goal of getting a booster shot, according to the TIME article, is to prevent breakthrough infections. That is especially important now as people are travelling and gathering for the holidays.

Fourth year student, Abé Lopez Ibarra thinks the booster shot is a great thing because, “It means another dose to further reduce the spread of COVID-19.”

What does this mean for college students? According to Ibarra, “With more students getting the vaccine and booster shots, we can slowly continue forward to that sense of normalcy that some of us were able to experience a couple years back. That means more student events, more in person classes, the possibility of Lobo’s and W+B opening up again, more on campus housing, GRADUATION!!! I think you get the idea by now.” 

According to Cal Matters, 92% of SSU students are vaccinated. It’s important because it provides protection against COVID-19 especially because “Protection against coronavirus infection among the fully vaccinated has also been waning, partly due to the more infectious delta variant of the virus,” according to NPR.

Especially now that there’s concerns about a new variant, Omicron, that’s been discovered. According to the BBC, the World Health Organization has been alerted to a new variant of COVID-19 named omicron which was first identified by South Africa. Scientists are still trying to determine whether this new variant is vaccine resistant and any more dangerous than past variants, but for now there is no new information. Not much is known about this new variant, but getting vaccinated will always be safer in the end.

Guy also stated, “My brother got both doses Pfizer still got COVID which was his second time since he got it before the vaccine was available. He had mild cold symptoms the second time he got Covid which was probably due to him receiving the vaccine. Who knows what symptoms he would have gotten if he still hadn’t gotten the vaccine.” 

Booster shots are available free to everyone over the age of 18, including those who don’t have insurance. As a reminder, the booster appointment needs to be scheduled at least six months after the date of one’s second dose of the initial vaccine. To schedule a booster shot appointment or find a walk-in clinic, information is available at https://myturn.ca.gov/.