WCCHD ENCOURAGES COMMUNITY TO MAKE A PLAN TO GET BOOSTED AGAINST COVID-19
People 12 and older are now eligible for updated COVID-19 boosters that target the original virus and newest Omicron subvariants
Sep. 12, 2022 - The Williamson County and Cities Health District (WCCHD) is urging the community to make a plan to get boosted against COVID-19 this fall. People 12 and older are now eligible to receive updated COVID-19 boosters (also known as bivalent boosters). Doses of the updated COVID-19 boosters have started arriving at WCCHD clinics.
The updated boosters are the first Omicron-specific vaccines to be made available in the United States. They target the original strain of COVID-19, as well as the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants. The highly contagious BA.5 Omicron subvariant is the dominant strain of COVID-19, making up about 90% of cases nationally.
The updated boosters are recommended as a single dose for people 12 and older who have received their primary COVID-19 vaccine series and have not received a COVID-19 vaccine dose in the last two months.
Children ages 5-11 continue to be eligible for the original COVID-19 booster, which provides protection against the original strain of COVID-19. Everyone 6 months and older is recommended to get vaccinated to protect against COVID-19.
If you have not yet received your primary series of COVID-19 vaccines, it is never too late to get vaccinated.
“Getting vaccinated and staying up to date on COVID-19 boosters remains the best way to protect against severe illness from COVID-19,” said Dr. Amanda Norwood, Medical Director and County Health Authority. “COVID-19 vaccines continue to show that they are effective at reducing severe symptoms that can result in hospitalization and death. The updated boosters can help restore protection that has waned since previous vaccination or infection and provide broader protection against newer variants.”
People can safely get their COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines at the same time, including the annual flu vaccine.
Primary and booster COVID vaccinations will be available at a walk-in clinic at the WCCHD Public Health Center located at 100 W 3rd St, Georgetown, TX 78626 on Tue. Sep. 13 from 9am to 6pm. Appointments can be made for any of the four WCCHD clinics by calling 512-943-3600.
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