To date, more than 40 percent of Americans have received a booster shot of the Covid-19 vaccine. In an effort to continue reducing Covid-19 cases, the Food and Drug Administration approved a second vaccine booster on Tuesday, March 29.

The boosters (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) are approved for those age 50 and older, and those age 12 and older considered immunocompromised by a health professional.

The second booster is to be administered four months after the first. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its vaccine guidance to note that second boosters are allowed and will help continue the decline of Covid-19 case numbers nationally.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, those who received their first booster in fall of 2021, amid concerns about the highly contagious Omicron variant, were 21 times less likely to die from Covid and seven times less likely to be hospitalized than those who were unvaccinated.

Federal data displaying how well the first boosters protected Americans against Omicron, along with data from Israel about the outcomes of second boosters, have fueled the Center for Disease Control's authorization of the second booster.

If you were one of the 17 million Americans that initially received the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine, the CDC now recommends you mix-and-match—getting two mRNA boosters of either Pfizer or Moderna for greatest protection. Federal data shows those who were vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson initially were less protected against serious illness and hospitalization than those who initially got two mRNA vaccines.

If you qualify, you can get a second booster now in Sarasota-Manatee.

The Department of Health-Sarasota County has two vaccination sites where you can receive a booster: 2200 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota, and 6950 Outreach Way, North Port. The Department of Health Manatee County has one location: 410 6th Ave. E., Bradenton.

For a list of local pharmacies offering Covid-19 boosters, visit our comprehensive list here.