Denver-area seniors and those at high risk can start getting their COVID-19 boosters in the coming days following a vote Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisers.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices said boosters should be offered to those people 65 and older, nursing home residents and those ages 50 to 64 who have risky underlying health problems, The Associated Press reported. The panel did not recommend boosters for healthy front-line health care workers.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Food and

Drug Administration had approved Pfizer booster doses Wednesday for seniors 65 and older, adults with underlying health conditions, and workers in high-risk positions, such as health care workers. Last Friday, a panel for the agency rejected an earlier White House proposal for everyone 16 and older to receive boosters citing a lack of safety data on extra doses and raising doubts about the value of mass boosters.

The shots have been anticipated for months to help ward off waning immunity particularly among older adults who were the first to get immunized at the beginning of the year.

There is no clear timeline for when Moderna or Johnson & Johnson boosters may be approved or recommended, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said.

Even before a final CDC recommendation was reached, UCHealth was moving forward with distributing boosters to seniors and other high-risk people this week, health system spokeswoman Cary Vogrin said. The boosters are recommended for those who were vaccinated six months or more ago.

UCHealth is offering the booster vaccinations — either Pfizer or Moderna — via appointment because clinical trials and UCHealth’s data shows protection from vaccines may diminish over time and increase the risk for breakthrough infections, she said.

“We know booster shots play an important role in the fight against COVID-19, and we’re still in the midst of a pandemic,” said Michelle Barron, senior medical director of infection prevention at UCHealth, in a statement.

Centura expected to be ready to give shots following the CDC vote, spokeswoman Lindsay Radford said.

“We anticipate we will see a spike in demand for vaccinations and we are prepared,” she said.

Following the vote, Denver Health expected to contact patients who should get a booster including seniors 65 and older and employees, said Rachel Hirsch, a spokeswoman for the health system. Patients can sign up for booster shot appointments starting Friday either via their mychart Denver Health account, by calling the appointment center by up through the health system website, she said.

SCL Health expected to updated its website as quickly as possible with new patient booster information once the guidelines are issued, spokesman Gregg Moss said.

UCHealth is allowing residents 65 and older, health care workers who may have contact with COVID-19 patients, emergency medical responders, home health care workers, pharmacy workers, correctional workers, dental staff, funeral services and other health care workers to schedule booster shot appointments.

Schedule a booster vaccine through UCHealth at: uchealth.org/access-my-health-connection.

Once CDC guidance is issued, booster vaccine shots can be scheduled at: Centura.org/vaccine.

Three Denver-area community vaccination sites are also expected to help absorb the demand for booster shots, state officials said Thursday.

• A drive-thru clinic is offered 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Aurora Municipal Center, 15151 E. Alameda Parkway, Aurora.

• A drive-thru clinic is offered 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Southwest Plaza Mall, 8501 W. Bowles Ave. Littleton.

• A walk-up clinic is offered 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, 6000 Victory Way, Commerce City.