April 1, 2022
Dear Tulane Community:
The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have announced that people age 50 and up are eligible for a second booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least four months after their first shot. The second booster is meant to bolster waning immunity against severe disease in case there is another COVID surge in the coming months. The Food and Drug Administration also authorized a second booster for people 12 and older with certain immune deficiencies.
Moderately/severely immunosuppressed individuals aged 12-17 may receive a second booster of Pfizer vaccine while those aged 18 and up may receive either Pfizer or Moderna. Previously, immunocompromised individuals were eligible for an additional (third) mRNA primary series dose and one booster dose (4 total doses). Now, immunocompromised individuals 12 and up are eligible for a second booster, or fifth total dose.
Tulane strongly recommends that everyone who is eligible for a booster under this new guidance receive one. More details on scheduling your booster at Tulane, or at area pharmacies, as well as information on the specific vaccines recommended for individuals based on age and immune status is below.
- Pfizer and Moderna Vaccines: A second booster dose of both COVID-19 vaccines may be administered to individuals 50 years of age and older at least 4 months after receipt of a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine.
- Pfizer Vaccine: A second booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine may be administered to individuals 12 years of age and older with moderate or severe immunosuppression at least 4 months after receipt of a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine.
- Moderna Vaccine: A second booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine may be administered to individuals 18 years of age and older with moderate or severe immunosuppression at least 4 months after the first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine.
- Pfizer booster doses are full-strength while Moderna booster doses are typically half the strength of Moderna primary series doses.
mRNA booster dose for Johnson & Johnson also approved
In addition, based on newly published data, adults who received a primary vaccine and booster dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine at least 4 months ago may now receive a second booster dose using an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna)
Scheduling Your Booster Shot
As a service to faculty, students and staff eligible to receive a booster, our uptown and downtown vaccine clinics are open. The Downtown Vaccine Clinic is currently operating in the old Book Store in the Hutchinson building at 1430 Tulane Avenue. The Uptown Vaccine Clinic is located in the lobby of the Phelps building. Appointments are required. To make an appointment to receive your booster vaccine, please use this link and choose "Booster" for the appointment reason.
This consent form must also be completed, signed and brought to your scheduled appointment.
Family members of Tulane faculty, students and staff are also eligible to receive their booster. Appointments can be made by emailing covidvaccine@tulane.edu. Appointments will be facilitated at the downtown location only.
- TO RECEIVE YOUR FOURTH DOSE, YOU MUST PRESENT YOUR CDC VACCINE CARD OR LA WALLET APP. DUPLICATE VACCINE CARDS WILL NOT BE CREATED AT THE CLINIC. If you have any questions, please email covidvaccine@tulane.edu.
- Booster vaccines are also available at many area pharmacies.
- Don’t forget to update your vaccination records in the Campus Health patient portal.
