Pfizer bivalent COVID-19 booster available

ALBERT LEA and AUSTIN, Minn. – Mayo Clinic Health System is now offering appointments to receive a Pfizer bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccination at clinic locations in Albert Lea, Austin, Cannon Falls, Faribault, Kasson, Lake City, Lake Mills, New Richland, Owatonna, Plainview, Red Wing, Rochester, Wells and Zumbrota.

Bivalent COVID-19 boosters protect against the original COVID-19 virus and two strains of the omicron variant that continue to be prevalent in the U.S.

"Since late last year, omicron continues to be the dominant strain of COVID-19 in our communities," says Robert Albright Jr., D.O., regional vice president, Mayo Clinic Health System – Southeast Minnesota. "Especially now that most people aren’t wearing masks, it’s important that everyone who is eligible gets vaccinated to protect people who are at high risk for severe illness. We are concerned about the high number of positive tests, and protecting our communities and ourselves remains our number one job. Please make time to be vaccinated.”

To be eligible for a bivalent COVID-19 booster, patients must:

• Be age 12 or older.
• Have received a Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax or Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) primary vaccination series, booster or third dose more than two months ago.

The bivalent COVID-19 booster is approved for immunocompromised patients if they meet the eligibility criteria for age and a primary vaccination series.

To schedule an appointment to receive the Pfizer bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccine, patients can schedule online through Patient Online Services or call their local clinic. If an appointment isn’t available within your preferred time frame, check back again later as appointments are added as slots are filled.

Where available, patients with existing primary care appointments also are being offered a bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccination. For all primary care and COVID-19 vaccination appointments scheduled on or after Oct. 17, patients also will have the option to receive a flu shot during the appointment.

Additional information on eligibility for the Pfizer bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccine is available on the Minnesota Department of Health website.

Primary COVID-19 vaccination series

For patients who have not been vaccinated for COVID-19, Mayo Clinic Health System offers primary vaccination series for patients 6 months old and older. To schedule an appointment to receive a primary vaccination series, patients can schedule online with Patient Online Services or call their local clinic. Patients also can request to receive a primary vaccination series during a primary care appointment.

Press Contact

Kristy Jacobson
e-mail: jacobson.kristy@mayo.edu
phone: 507-263-9706