Friday, March 29, 2024

Guard against double whammy of flu and COVID with vaccinations

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OKANOGAN – With flu season on the horizon and COVID still in the rearview mirror it is time for citizens concerned about these potential health risks to consider vaccinations as a measure of added protection. COVID boosters will soon be available for youngsters as well.

An Oct. 13 media release from the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) advises that Omicron variant-targeted bivalent booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines will soon be available to people ages five and older.

“This is another step forward to a healthier tomorrow for everyone in Washington state,” said Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH, Secretary of Health. “The more people who are eligible for COVID-19 boosters, the better protection we can provide to our communities.”

That goes for flu season, too.

"It's also time to get your flu shot," said Dr. Shah added. "We are entering respiratory illness seasons and it is a critical time to protect yourself and those around you from influenza."

The DOH said the booster eligibility expansion comes on the heels of the September rollout of the updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccine, which targets the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants currently accounting for the majority of COVID-19 cases.

All individuals aged five and older are urged to receive the updated booster as the cold and flu arrives. Flu vaccines, now available at many provider offices and pharmacies across the state, are safe to receive concurrently with the COVID-19 bivalent booster.

The DOH updated COVID-19 booster dose recommendations are as follows:

  • People ages five and older who have completed a primary vaccine can receive the Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent booster at least two months after their most recent dose. These doses were scheduled to begin arriving in provider offices the week of October 17.
  • People ages six and older who have completed a primary vaccine series can receive the Moderna bivalent booster at least two months after their most recent dose. Providers who already have an inventory of Moderna can begin administering these doses immediately.
  • Children ages six months to four years remain eligible for the primary, monovalent COVID-19 vaccine series from both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna and are not currently authorized for any COVID-19 booster doses.

As with previous vaccine and booster rollouts, the Center for Disease Control will provide states with weekly allocations, building each state’s inventory levels over time. DOH urges the public to remain patient as initial demand is expected to exceed availability.

To make a vaccine or booster appointment, visit VaccinateWA.org online or call the COVID-19 Information Hotline at 833-VAX-HELP. Language assistance is available. Those individuals with further questions are encouraged to visit the DOH COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions webpage or talk to their trusted healthcare providers.


 

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