COVID booster shots set for Nov. 11 at the school gym

Pfizer-BioNTech booster shots will be administered at Shelter Island School between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 11, a day when there are no classes because of the Veterans Day holiday.

Although Town officials had earlier announced the possibility of on-Island administration of the booster shots, they had to guarantee Stony Brook Southampton Hospital officials that at least 200 people would sign up for the inoculations.

Deputy Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams told the Town Board at Tuesday’s work session that number has been surpassed and those administering the vaccinations will have 243 doses.

Anyone who has not yet signed up can join a waiting list that could open some appointments due to cancellations. More information will be posted on the Town website at shelterislandtown.us.

Those who already expressed interest will be receiving a link to access the site necessary to sign up for a specific appointment. There was a question not answered at Tuesday’s meeting about how soon a person could get a booster shot if they have recently had COVID or any of its variants.

The advice on a Pfizer COVID-19 site is to consult your doctor about when you should get the most recent booster.

Ms. Brach-Williams said she would be meeting with hospital officials on Wednesday and asking their advice.

The Pfizer site advises that if you had a previous booster, at least two months should pass before you are eligible for this shot, which was developed in response to protecting against the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 variants.

The Shelter Island Senior Foundation will be providing lunch to those hospital workers who are administering the vaccine doses.