COVID Booster Shots Now Available to Teens

Hawai‘i residents ages 16 and 17 are now eligible for the COVID-19 booster vaccination.

On Thursday, Dec. 9, the Hawai‘i Department of Health, or DOH, announced that it had adopted expanded guidelines from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, on COVID-19 booster vaccinations involving the younger age group.

“The recent emergence of the Omicron variant underscores the importance of vaccination and boosters,” DOH stated in a press release Thursday.

The teens may receive a booster dose if it has been at least six months since the completion of the initial series of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Teens 16-17 years old are only eligible to receive a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Residents ages 18 and older are also eligible to receive a booster dose if it has been at least two months since their Johnson & Johnson vaccine, or six months since completing their Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech series.

According to the CDC, strong immunity, such as that provided by a booster, will likely prevent severe illness. DOH encourages everyone to practice other mitigation measures, such as wearing a mask, avoiding large gatherings and staying home from work or school and getting tested for COVID-19 if they feel sick.

Vaccines are widely available across the state. Click here to find a location.