PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — More Rhode Islanders may soon be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot, officials said Thursday at a meeting of the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Subcommittee.

The subcommittee voted in support of the state Department of Health moving ahead with implementation of Pfizer boosters once the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has provided guidance, The Boston Globe reported.

There are about 130,000 Rhode Islanders who are eligible to receive a booster shot, they said. Residents who are considered moderately to severely immunocompromised are already eligible for a booster.

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday authorized people over 65 who had received Pfizer vaccine to get a booster shot at least six months after their second shot.

The FDA also authorized booster shots for Pfizer recipients 18 and older who are considered at high risk of becoming severely ill because of frequent exposure at their jobs, according to Tricia Washburn, chief of the Center for Preventative Services at the department.

The booster shots will likely be available through retail pharmacies, at monthly clinics in cities and towns, and through popup clinics, according to the subcommitee.

The Pfizer booster shot is designed to increase protection against the disease.

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