URBANA, Ill. (WAND) - Carle Health has announced plans to offer Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 booster vaccines to the community.
The vaccines will be made available to qualifying individuals starting on Saturday, Oct. 30. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently expanded the use of a booster dose for these vaccines.
Carle said it will offer booster options through the clinical service area. Announced locations include:
- Champaign County: The vaccine clinic at Kohl’s Plaza in Champaign will begin administering the Moderna booster Saturday, Oct. 30, in addition to the currently approved Pfizer booster.
- Vermilion County: Patients in Vermilion County can schedule an appointment at a Danville clinic - J&J boosters will be available on Tuesday and Thursday; Moderna boosters will be available on Wednesday and Friday. All Carle booster clinic appointments can be scheduled through MyCarle or on Carle.org.
- McLean and Woodford Counties: Patients in McLean and Woodford counties are encouraged to contact their Primary Care provider to schedule an appointment. Johnson & Johnson will be made more readily available in more targeted opportunities throughout the service area. Patients in McLean County can also call (309) 268-5200 to schedule an appointment.
- Richland County: Patients in Richland county are encouraged to contact their Primary Care provider to schedule an appointment.
The Moderna booster is available six months after the completion of the first two doses for the following patients:
- Aged 65 and older
- Age 18+ who live in long-term care settings
- Age 18+ who work or live in high risk setting
- Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions
The Johnson & Johnson booster vaccine is available at least two months after a person gets the single-dose vaccine for people 18 and older, without limitations.
“We are excited to offer these booster vaccinations to qualifying patients in order to ensure the best protection against COVID-19,” Robert Healy, MD, chief quality officer, said. “We have seen success in administering the current approved Pfizer booster and continue to follow CDC guidance as we work to limit the spread of infection in our communities.”
Carle patients can scheduled appointments through their MyCarle account or on the Carle website.
Patients are able to "mix and match" with their booster vaccine and get a different brand for this dose than they did with the original series, following a recommendation from the CDC.
