COVID-19 Booster Available to all Arkansans 18+

All COVID-19 booster shots now available to any Arkansan 18 years and older.

Governor Asa Hutchinson said on Monday that the Arkansas Department of Health is changing its requirements for receiving a COVID-19 booster shot to make it available to anyone 18 years and older.

Under the previous guidance the Pfizer and Moderna booster shot was only available to people 18-64 if the met certain criteria. Under the new policy the Pfizer and Moderna Boosters are available to anyone over the age of 18 regardless of other circumstances as long as it has been 6 months since their second dose.

As for the Johnson & Johnson Booster the criteria will remain the same. Anyone over 18 that waits at least two months after their first dose is eligible for the booster.

Hutchinson said, “I think it will eliminate some confusion and it will also encourage everyone across the board that meets this criterion to go get the booster shot.”

He went on to report that the total number of active cases in Arkansas has dropped by 351 from yesterday to a total of 4,785 with an additional 12 deaths.

In a graphic the governor said that he is watching a slight increase in active cases among those under the age of 18. He also said that the vaccination rate among those 5-11 is increasing slower than with the 12-15 age group but he hopes to see confidence in that age group increase.