CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Thanksgiving was nice for the Doub family, who ​spent it healthy and together in Charlotte. 

​What You Need To Know

CDC expanded its recommendations for 16 and 17 years to get the Pfizer COVID-19 booster shot

Anyone 18-plus can receive the Moderna or Pfizer booster shot

Ben Doub, 16, is going to Maryland for Christmas to visit his grandparents and decided to get the booster to protect his family

But Christmas will be different. 

The Doubs are headed to Maryland, and 16-year-old Ben Doub can't wait to spend time with his grandparents, who he hasn't seen since the summer. 

But with COVID-19 and the new variant omicron, Doub doesn't want to risk getting anyone in his family sick. 

Doub is fully vaccinated but until Wednesday couldn't get the booster until the CDC extended its recommendation to 16- and 17-year-olds. 

“I want to protect others around me, I want to protect my family, because I’m going to visit them soon, so I wanted to do my part and get the booster," Doub said. “I want to protect others around me, I want to protect my family, because I’m going to visit them soon, so I wanted to do my part and get the booster," Doub said. 

When his mother, Meredith Doub, realized his age group was now recommended for the booster, she made the first available appointment at Novant's vaccination clinic.

​"My mother and father live in Maryland, and we're all going to get rapid tested before we go to their home for Christmas to protect our family from the virus," Doub said. 

Ben Doub works at a retirement community. He gets tested for COVID-19 bi-weekly. He said this booster will not only help protect his family this Christmas, it will help protect the senior citizens he works with every day. 

"It was my decision to get the booster, as soon as I found out I was eligible, I wanted to get it, and I hope that my peers and friends will also be encouraged to get vaccinated so that we can help stop this virus," Doub said.

Only the Pfizer booster is recommended for 16- and 17-year-olds right now. For anyone 18 and older, Moderna and Pfizer are both available.