RALEIGH — The FDA now authorizes and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends individuals who received the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine get a booster dose after five months. This announcement from federal agencies comes just three days after the announcement of a shortened wait time for a booster from six months to five months for individuals who received the Pfizer vaccine.

Current recommendation for COVID-19 boosters is:

• Those who received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine should get a booster five months after their last dose.

• Those who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should get a booster two months after their initial dose.

Anyone ages 12 and older should receive a booster. The CDC also recommends a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 who have compromised immune systems.

Adults may receive any brand of the COVID-19 vaccine for their booster, while children 12 to 17 can only receive Pfizer. NCDHHS encourages individuals to speak with a doctor, nurse or pharmacist if they have questions about what booster is right for them.

Boosters are available anywhere COVID-19 vaccines are available. People do not need a doctor's note to get a booster shot. Individuals who want to receive a booster will need to know the dates of any past COVID-19 vaccinations as well as the vaccine brand they originally received. Paper vaccination cards are helpful but may not be necessary. At-home vaccination and free transportation may be available.

More information about COVID-19 vaccine boosters is available on NCDHHS’s website.

For more information about COVID-19 vaccines in North Carolina or to find a vaccine location, visit MySpot.nc.gov or call the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Help Center for free at 888-675-4567.