COVID-19 booster shots could begin Sept. 20 in Ohio, ODH director says

Ohio Health Department Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff said the state is getting ready to give booster shots for adults who received either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines starting as early as Sept. 20 (Source: “Ohio prepares to administer COVID-19 booster shots as early as Sept. 20,” Columbus Dispatch, Aug. 18). 

"This plan is still subject to the FDA’s evaluation and determination of the safety and effectiveness of a booster dose," Vanderhoff said. 

The news comes hours after the Biden administration announced it was asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to authorize a third shot for the general population. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the third shot for immunocompromised Americans last week as infections from the delta variant continue to rise. 

Vanderhoff said vaccines such as the COVID-19 shot aren't designed to provide indefinite immunity to infection. What they give people is "a reserve of cells" that protect against severe illness, hospitalization and death. 

"I’ll reiterate what I’ve said before. Protection against severe illness and death was the target of the vaccine," Vanderhoff said.