KANSAS CITY, Mo. — All adult Kansans will now be considered eligible to get a COVID-19 booster shot.
The shots were previously only available to certain age groups, people with certain medical conditions or those with specific kinds of high-risk employment.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, along with Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, announced Wednesday that the shots would be made available to anyone who is 18 years old or older and fully-vaccinated.
Adults will be considered eligible for a booster shot six months after their second Pfizer or Moderna shot and two months after their Johnson & Johnson vaccination, according to a release.
“The COVID-19 vaccine is free, safe, effective and the best way to keep our communities protected from this virus,” Kelly said in the release. “Expanding access to booster shots will help us put an end to this deadly pandemic.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not yet recommended booster shots for all adults, but they are expected to in the next few days.
A few other states have also decided to make the boosters available to all adults before the official decision, though the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services told KSHB 41 News on Tuesday that they would hold off.
“For the time being, we will continue to follow the CDC recommendations for boosters," a spokesperson said.
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