Two additional clinics added in Columbia to administer new COVID booster

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Boone County Public Health and Human Services added two additional clinics to administer the new COVID-19 bivalent vaccine due to high demand.

The clinics are operating by appointment only. One clinic was held on Saturday. Trina Teacutter, the nursing supervisor, said it was completely booked.

Columbia Health has multiple clinics scheduled to be held in September that are already fully booked. This includes one of the recently added clinic dates, Monday, Sept. 12. Sept. 19 is the only clinic with available appointments according to the City of Columbia's vaccine appointment page.

Teacutter said they are seeing a high demand for the new booster, which has led to the clinic's being full.

"You know, we're still doing some back-to-school vaccinations," Teacutter said. "So there's a lot of things happening at once. So, it's more of a time and staffing issue at this point, not a supply issue."

These clinics are specifically for the bivalent booster offered by Pfizer for ages 12 and older and Moderna for anybody 18 years or older. This booster offers protection from the original COVID strain.

Teacutter said individuals interested in receiving the booster must have completed their primary series of COVID vaccines. The vaccine is recommended as a single booster dose and should be administered two months following the primary series or booster vaccination.

The vaccine is free and does not require an ID or health insurance. Parental consent forms for anybody under the age of 18 are required.

Teacutter said these clinics are not offering the primary series, but they are available in doctors' offices and pharmacies still.

Teacutter said they will not be doing a waitlist for the updated booster, but advises anybody who is interested in receiving it to monitor the website to see if any additional clinics have been added.