Winona State University is now offering COVID-19 booster shots for students and staff members who have received their COVID vaccinations. The boosters are available to any vaccinated individual over the age of 18, and it is highly recommended that people get the booster if they have already had the initial vaccine.

The booster shots are especially recommended for anyone who is at risk of contracting COVID. This could include having underlying medical issues or working in settings where there is a high risk of spreading the virus. According to Winona State Health and Wellness Services, if you got the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, you should wait to get the booster until six months after your second dose.

Dr. Joe Novak, a pediatrician at Mayo Clinic, said that getting the booster would be beneficial for building up antibodies against the COVID-19 virus. He said it would be especially beneficial “for those who are immuno-compromised.” People who have problems with their immune system are some of the most high-risk individuals for contracting the virus. This could include people with “auto-immune diseases, cancers or any sort of genetic disorders as well.”

However, this does not mean that only sick people should get this booster. There are some people who can’t get the vaccine, such as children who are too young to receive it. While this is a college campus, students could be spreading it to younger siblings when they go home or staff members to their children. Dr. Novak would go on to say that, “The concept of herd immunity is a really important thing,” which means getting everyone vaccinated so to prevent the spread.