San Mateo County Health will begin offering Pfizer boosters to eligible individuals on the following dates at the San Mateo County Event Center (1346 Saratoga Drive in San Mateo):
► Thursday, October 7, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
► Friday, October 8, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
► Tuesday, October 12, from noon to 7 p.m.
► Wednesday, October 13, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Additional booster clinics at the Event Center may be scheduled according to demand.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine, according to the following guidelines:
► People 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings should receive a booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine at least six months after their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
► People aged 50-64 years with underlying medical conditions or at increased risk of social inequities should receive a booster dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
► People aged 18-49 with underlying medical conditions may receive a booster dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine, based on their individual benefits and risks.
► People aged 18-64 years who are at an increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a booster dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine, after considering their individual benefits and risks.
Boosters are available only to individuals 18 and older who have received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Federal guidance for recipients of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccines has not yet been issued. Boosters are not available to anyone under 18.
Appointments for the Event Center booster clinic, and for other vaccination opportunities in the Bay Area, may be scheduled through MyTurn, which includes a process for participants to attest to having received the first two doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
For the Event Center booster clinics, appointments are encouraged but not required. Drive-up participants should bring their previous vaccination documentation. Those without documentation may self-attest to having received a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine at least six months ago and meeting the other qualifications outlined by the FDA and CDC.
The process for receiving boosters at the Event Center will be similar to previous vaccination clinics at the site. Participants will drive up and be checked in, then proceed to an area within Expo Hall to receive the shot as they remain in their cars. They will then be directed to drive to an area outside Expo Hall for the required 15-30 minute observation period. Participants should wear masks during the process and should not bring pets in the car.
“As we work with our local health care partners to make boosters available to eligible individuals, it’s a good time to remember that many members of our community have yet to receive a first dose of vaccine,” said Louise Rogers, chief of San Mateo County Health. “Now is the time to get vaccinated. It’s the best thing you can do to protect your health and the health of your family.”
While 94.1% of San Mateo County residents have received at least one dose, some 40,000 residents remain unvaccinated and at risk for severe outcomes from the Delta variant, including potential hospitalization and death.
The Event Center booster clinics will also offer first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Boosters and first and second doses are also available at County Health’s community clinics (schedules here), as well as through primary health care providers and pharmacies, including CVS and Walgreens.