COVID-19 booster shots should be available to anyone who requests one in California as long as their initial vaccination was long enough ago, the state's director of public health said in a letter to local health providers. The guidelines outlined in the letter are looser for booster shots than those set by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that specify that those shots should go to people who are 65 and older, have certain underlying medical conditions, live in long-term care facilities, or work or live in other specified high-risk settings. Officials with the California Department of Public Health have not said what prompted the policy change, but on Wednesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state officials at a news conference in Southern California encouraged people to get the booster shots ahead of the upcoming winter holidays when people are more likely to gather inside with friends and family. California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said at the briefing, "If you think you will benefit from getting a booster shot, I encourage you to go out and get it.”Here is the letter from Aragon to health providers.

Source: ABC News November 12, 2021 21:28 UTC