DeKALB – DeKalb County Health Department, 2550 N. Annie Glidden Road, will be administering free walk-in COVID-19 Pfizer booster shots for people who are eligible Monday through Friday 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 1-3:30 p.m. 

Eligible people include those over 65 and those who live in long-term care settings, people aged 18-64 who have underlying medical conditions or have an increased risk of contracting COVID-19 because of their occupational or institutional settings, according to a Sept. 24 Illinois Department of Public Health news release. 

Those aged 50-64 with underlying conditions should receive the booster shot while those aged 18-49 may receive the booster based on their risks, according to the IDPH news release. 

Individuals that meet these qualifications may begin getting the booster shot six months after receiving two doses of the Pfizer shot. 

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given full approval for Pfizer-BioNTech, marketed as Comirnaty, for those ages 16 years and older. The Pfizer-BioNTech and Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccines are the same vaccines,” according to the IDPH news release.

The DeKalb County Health Department will also be giving out the Pfizer vaccine for those who are 12 or over and the Moderna vaccine for those who are 18 or over.

The health department will be giving flu shots on a walk-in basis. The flu shot is free for those that provide proof of insurance but can be $38 for those that do not have insurance. 

“Due to COVID-19, there has been a decrease in routine preventive medical services, including immunizations,” according to an Oct.1 DeKalb County Health Department news release. “Routine vaccinations during COVID-19 are essential to protecting communities from vaccine-preventable diseases, including flu. Routine vaccination prevents illnesses that lead to unnecessary medical visits and hospitalizations, which further strain the healthcare system.”