Governor Cox Spencer announces Utahns age 18+ eligible for vaccine boosters

Salt Lake City, Utah — According to Gov. Spencer Cox, thousands of Utahns will be eligible for a COVID-19 booster shot beginning Friday.

The Utah Department of Health says all Utahns age 18 and older who received their second dose of Pfizer’s or Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine more than six months ago or their Johnson & Johnson vaccine more than two months ago will be eligible for a booster dose.

Thursday Cox made the announcement during his monthly press conference.

“Under current CDC guidance and FDA emergency use authorization, those 18 and older who live or work in high-risk settings are eligible for booster doses,” the governor’s Twitter account said. “Almost all Utahns live in high-transmission counties and are at high risk of contracting COVID-19.”

The Utah Department of Health will hold a press conference at noon Thursday to answer questions regarding the rollout of booster shots.

According to the governor, over 44,000 Utah children ages 5-11 (12.1%) have received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose, and nearly 228,000 children ages 12-18 (62.1%) have received their first shot.

Over 2 million Utahns have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 55% of the state’s residents are fully vaccinated, as of Thursday.