Skip to main content
Link to news home page
News

Update on COVID-19 booster shots

October 21, 2021

Read this message in:

This message covers:

  • COVID-19 boosters
  • COVID-19 first doses
  • Flu shots
  • Spring semester planning
  • How to stay informed

Dear faculty, staff and students,

COVID-19 cases on campus continue to remain low – thank you for protecting yourself and the community by being vaccinated, masking up, and staying home and getting tested if you have symptoms. Campus vaccination rates continue to rise, with 94 percent of students and 95 percent of employees fully vaccinated. Individuals who are not yet fully vaccinated continue to be required to test weekly.

COVID-19 boosters
Information about COVID-19 boosters is changing rapidly and can be confusing. The chart below summarizes what we currently know about COVID booster eligibility.

Did you receive Moderna or Johnson & Johnson?
The Food and Drug Administration has authorized booster shots for people ages 18 and over who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and for some at risk populations who received the Moderna vaccine. If the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends it, these boosters will be available soon, including on campus through University Health Services. Check MyUHS to schedule a booster appointment.

Did you receive Pfizer?
No-cost appointments continue to be available on campus for Pfizer recipients seeking a booster shot. Make an appointment.

Table - Am I eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine booster? Immunocompromised: Pfizer yes; Moderna yes; J&J not yet*. Underlying medical conditions 18+: Pfizer yes; Moderna not yet*; J&J not yet*.? Work in a high risk setting 18+: Pfizer yes; Moderna not yet *; J&J not yet*. Live in a high risk setting 18+: Pfizer yes; Moderna not yet*; J&J not yet*. 65 or older: Pfizer yes; Moderna not yet*; J&J not yet*. All others 12+: Pfizer not yet**. Moderna not yet**. J&J not yet**. *Anticipated before Nov. 1. **The FDA and CDC are analyzing data to see if other age groups should receive boosters.

Graphic courtesy Public Health Madison & Dane County

COVID-19 first doses
If you have not yet been vaccinated, we continue to encourage you to do so. No-cost appointments are available on campus now. Learn more.

Flu shots
Protect yourself against the flu by getting your flu shot on campus at no cost (employees should bring proof of insurance, if available). Learn more.

Spring semester planning
Planning is under way now for spring semester policies and procedures related to COVID-19. We will share more information with you as it becomes available.

As we plan for the future, we recognize that COVID-19 will likely remain present at some level and, like many other diseases, is increasingly both preventable and treatable. Our public health policies will evolve to reflect those facts.

How to stay informed