COVID-19 booster update for VMH service area
Effective immediately, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the following:
• People 65 years of age and older and residents in long-term care settings should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series.
• People aged 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series.
• People aged 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks.
• People aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks.
These recommendations are only for those who originally received two-dose series of Pfizer’s COVID vaccine in the primary series. Booster doses might be recommended in the future for those who received COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by Moderna or Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), or those who received a different mRNA vaccine for each dose in the primary series, but ACIP did not address these situations.
Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care/Allamakee County Public Health is not yet giving any of these Pfizer booster doses and continues to ask that interested individuals hold their phone calls. Additional information will follow in the next few weeks. Allamakee Public Health does continue to offer first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccines each Friday afternoon at the hospital.
According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, the best way to protect against COVID-19 is to get vaccinated. The risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19 far outweighs any benefits of natural immunity. COVID-19 can have serious, life threatening complications and there is no way to know how it will affect anyone. The COVID-19 vaccine, which is readily available locally, creates an antibody (immune system) response without having to experience sickness.
Veterans Memorial Hospital is still experiencing a very limited supply of COVID-19 testing kits and asks that anyone experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms seek one of the following testing options:
• Test Iowa Kits are available free of charge at the main reception desk at Veterans Memorial Hospital. With these kits, you collect your saliva and send the test in free of charge via UPS. All instructions are clearly included in the kit with a phone number to call if you have any questions. There is currently just a 24 hour turn-around time for results. The Test Iowa Kits are available at the hospital from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekends and holidays.
• Over the counter test kits can be purchased at all local pharmacies. These have immediate, rapid results; however this is an unverified form of testing and no work excuses can be given based on these results.
The Emergency Room (ER) is always an option for anyone suffering from COVID-19 symptoms and who needs to be seen. However, patients cannot just be tested in the ER. They must be experiencing serious symptoms in order to qualify for a test.
Both Hartig Drug and Nightingale Pharmacy in Waukon have vaccine available for ages 12 and older. Parental/guardian consent is required. Call ahead to schedule an appointment.
Watch the Veterans Memorial Hospital website at www.veteransmemorialhospital.com and the Veterans Memorial Hospital Facebook page for upcoming clinic details.
