The Surry County Health and Nutrition Center is now offering COVID-19 vaccination boosters. The Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson booster are all available in Surry County, and recipients can choose any type of booster to receive.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and NC Department of Health and Human Services have approved boosters for all three vaccines. Booster doses strengthen and extend protections against severe illness from COVID-19. More guidance is being released as further studies on vaccine effectiveness across age groups are determined.
As COVID continues to be on ongoing public health concern, the statewide and local trends in vaccination rates are slowly edging higher. In Surry County the first dose vaccination rate for those aged 18 and up is 61% and for those completing their vaccination the rate falls to 58%.
Among the most vulnerable, vaccination rates in Surry County for those over the age of 65 have climbed to 85% for the first shot and 82% fully vaccinated. As the FDA and CDC continue to approve vaccinations for more age groups, the total percentage number will change as more groups become eligible to receive their vaccination.
Statewide 55% of the total population is fully vaccinated compared to 48% locally. Herd immunity is thought to be achieved at a number that exceeds 70%. As with many COVID related topics, herd immunity is the cause of some disagreement.
“I’ve stopped using the term,” said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. In place of the term, Dr. Hotez has started “saying that these are the levels of vaccination we need to get to in order to start slowing or even halting virus transmission.”
“We are seeing more of a plateau with vaccination,” said Maggie Simmons,assistant health director of the Surry County Health and Nutrition Center. “There was strong interest early on in the vaccination rollout, but we do not have as many citizens coming to be vaccinated at this point.” Numbers released on Monday show 19,000 or so residents statewide got their first shot last week, which represents the lowest weekly count to date.
It should also be noted the importance of getting both vaccine shots. Pointing to a March 2021 CDC study, Simmons reminds that for Moderna and Pfizer, getting the second shot in the series is critically important. “The second shot in the vaccination series helps boost one’s immunity to a higher rate than those who only receive the first dose.”
Hospitalization rates at Northern Regional Hospital for COVID have fluctuated during the month of October from as few as 14 to as many as 27. Ashly Lancaster, marketing director for Northern Regional Hospital, advised the daily average is approximately 20 COVID patients. Northern Regional Hospital had 16 COVID positive patients at time of last update, with four of those in the ICU and of the 16 hospitalizations 82% were unvaccinated.
To prevent this steady patient count in hospitals, vaccinations are recommended by the CDC and state health department. Pfizer and Moderna vaccination boosters are now available for those who received their second shot at least 6 months ago, and meet one of the following criteria:
• 65 years of age and older
• 18 years of age and older, and:
• Live or work in a nursing home or other long-term care residential facility
• Have a medical condition that puts you at high risk for severe illness; for example obesity, asthma, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes
• Work in a high-risk profession, meaning you come into contact with a lot of people, and you don’t know their vaccination status; for example, health care workers, first responders, teachers, food processing workers, retail and restaurant workers, and public transportation workers
• Live or work in a place where many people live together; for example, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, migrant farm housing, dormitories, or other group living settings in colleges or universities
Additionally, the Johnson and Johnson vaccine booster is being offered to residents who would benefit from one. The Johnson & Johnson booster doses will be offered to those individuals ages 18 and older who were vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago.
Individuals eligible to receive a booster dose are now able to receive any brand of COVID-19 vaccine for their booster shot.
Surry County Health and Nutrition Center will offer booster doses Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Call 336-401-8400 to schedule an appointment, but walk-ins will be accepted.
In addition, a Moderna-only booster mass vaccination clinic will be held on Friday, Nov. 5, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Dobson Farmer’s Market. No appointment is required for this drive through event.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com