FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — During his weekly COVID-19 briefing Monday, Governor Andy Beshear announced he plans to get his vaccine booster shot Thursday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that eligible people who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine receive a booster shot at least six months after their second dose. The CDC recommends that everyone who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine get their booster shot at least two months after their last dose.
The eligibility for people who received a Pfizer or Moderna series is limited to those 65 and older, people with underlying medical conditions, people who live or work in high-risk settings, and people who live in long-term care settings.
Governor Beshear said he believes that eligibility should be expanded.
"I think everybody should be able to get a booster six months after they got their last shot," he said.
The governor stressed the importance of getting a booster because hospitalizations among vaccinated people are "going up month after month, which suggests waning immunity."
Since March 1, 16% of all COVID-19 hospitalizations in Kentucky have been among vaccinated people.
He also said that in May, fully vaccinated individuals made up five percent of all COVID-19 cases. Today, he said, the vaccinated make up 20-25% of all cases.
"I think when you look at this growth the only natural explanation is that the immunity does lessen a little bit over time," Beshear said. "The Delta variant is a part of it, but this means you need to get the booster."
Beshear said he will get the booster shot live on camera during his next briefing Thursday.
