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The winter holidays are a time for giving. That includes the passing of presents, well wishes, and infectious diseases like COVID-19 and the flu. With family gatherings looming, now is the time to vaccinate.
Costco members can get boosted at their favorite store. It's as easy as scheduling an appointment online. Here's how the process works.
Check if you're eligible
Not everyone is eligible for the shot. If you're bringing kids, they must be aged three years or older to receive a vaccination. You can check the CDC website for information on how long you should wait between booster shots.
Shoppers can also check the CDC booster tool to see if they're eligible for a booster.
Schedule an appointment
With that out of the way, you can schedule an appointment at your local Costco. Enter your ZIP code in this Costco Pharmacy finder and select your preferred location. Once you click "schedule an immunization," you can choose the booster(s) you prefer.
To wrap up, select a date and time. Make sure to fill out your medical information on the following page, including allergies and booster status. After that, you're all set.
Walk-in
Some Costco locations do accept walk-ins. Depending on how many people have already scheduled appointments at your location, there may be a wait.
The Costco website recommends you schedule appointments online to save time.
Is getting a COVID-19 booster worth it?
There are a couple of perks to getting your COVID-19 booster at Costco. First, you can do some holiday shopping after getting your booster. The pharmacists typically recommend you hang around for around 15 minutes to confirm that you have no side effects.
For another thing, if your scheduled appointment gets messed up, you may still be eligible for a shot since Costco accepts walk-in appointments. That's some added peace of mind.
Don't get a booster if you think you have COVID-19 already. The CDC recommends folks who feel unwell avoid getting boosted/vaccinated until their symptoms pass. The same goes for folks who have multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MIS).
Since scientists are a whole lot smarter than I am predicting a surge of COVID-19 cases this winter, I'd rather be safe than risk a sorry Christmas season. I've got a White Elephant gift exchange to bomb and clean air to breathe -- I can't go getting sick now, of all times.
If anything, I'll want to do a little shopping at Costco before the new year. It's a great place to shop and be able to stick to your budget.
I'll snag a $5 rotisserie chicken, one of Costco's most popular products. I'm in the market for a new phone -- there are significant perks to buying a smartphone at Costco. Last-minute Christmas shopping for my dad will see me browse the best men's gifts Costco offers.
Stay safe this holiday season. And if you decide to get boosted, add Costco to your list of friendly pharmacies that offer free COVID-19 vaccinations -- if nothing else, it's easy.
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