West Des Moines Iowa — A grocery retailer and pharmacy with stores in our area says they will now offer free COVID vaccine to younger northwest Iowans.
Hy-Vee, Inc. has announced that free Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster doses are now available to 16- and 17-year-olds at Hy-Vee Pharmacy locations across its eight-state region.
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration or FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC recommend a booster dose for Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine recipients ages 16 and older at least 6 months after their second vaccine dose. Patients ages 16 and 17 receiving a booster dose may NOT mix-and-match vaccines. At this time, Pfizer-BioNTech is the only vaccine authorized for minors.
COVID-19 vaccinations are available at Hy-Vee Pharmacy locations by appointment only. Hy-Vee officials tell us patients can schedule their COVID-19 vaccination by visiting www.hy-vee.com/covidvaccine.
A parent or legal guardian must consent to the vaccination and accompany all minors to their vaccination. The booster vaccines are free to all eligible patients, regardless of their insurance coverage.
They say the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine approved for individuals 12 years of age and older requires two doses (known as the primary series). The second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine should be administered at least 21 days after the first dose. However, a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is ONLY available for individuals ages 16 and older and should be administered at least 6 months after the second dose.
Hy-Vee officials say individuals ages 16 and older receiving a COVID-19 first, second, booster, or third vaccine dose can receive their flu shot during the same appointment by requesting it with the pharmacy team.
It is recommended (but not required) that vaccine recipients bring their insurance card (if they have insurance) and Medicare Part B red, white and blue card (if they are a Medicare recipient); a photo ID; and their COVID-19 vaccination record card. Masks are required. If individuals do not have insurance, they can still be vaccinated.
For more information about COVID-19 vaccines, visit www.hy-vee.com/covidvaccine.
