A clinic with free COVID-19 vaccines and boosters for Eastern students, faculty and staff will be held Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. The clinic will be held in the University Ballroom.

The vaccines and boosters are being provided by the Illinois Department of Public Health. First doses, second doses, and for the first time, boosters will be available for the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines.

It is recommended that students, faculty, and staff register before going to the clinic to lower wait times.

Those who received the Pfizer-BioTech or the Moderna vaccines are advised to wait at least six months after completing their primary COVID-19 vaccination series before getting the booster.

Those who received the J&J vaccine are asked to wait at least two months after their vaccination before getting their booster.

The CDC recommends everyone over 18 gets the booster. According to the CDC, it is okay to mix and match booster and vaccination shots, so it is up to the individual to choose which booster shot they prefer.

The CDC said that for “Pfizer-BioNTech and J&J/Janseen, clinical trials also showed that a booster shot helped prevent COVID-19 and symptoms.”

For those unable to make the vaccination and booster clinic, Eastern’s Medical Clinic offers COVID-19 vaccines every Tuesday. Students are encouraged to make an appointment by calling the office at 217-581-3013.

People can also find places offering vaccines and booster shots near them on the CDC website.

Amayah Farley can be reached at 581-2812 or akfarley@eiu.edu