(Ithaca, N.Y., November 7, 2022) – The Tompkins County Health Department is alerting the community of a COVID-19 vaccination clinic along with information about the importance of staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines. The bivalent Moderna booster vaccination clinic will take place on Wednesday, November 9, 2022, from 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at the Tompkins County Health Department. The clinic requires registration and is for individuals 18 years and up who received their last vaccine dose at least 2 months ago. The updated booster dose provides enhanced protection against the COVID-19 variants.
COVID-19 Bivalent Moderna Booster Clinic:
- Wednesday, November 9, 2022
- 2:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
- Tompkins County Health Department, 55 Brown Rd.
- 18 years and up
- Register here: https://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/health/covid19vaccine
The updated, or bivalent, COVID-19 boosters add Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 spike protein components to the current vaccine composition. This addition helps restore protection that has decreased since previous vaccination by targeting variants that are more transmissible and evade the immune system. Receiving an updated booster dose will increase your protection against current variants, reducing severity of illness should you become infected. You may mix vaccine brands for the booster dose. It is not necessary to get the same brand for your booster as you got for your primary series, or a previous booster.
Expanded eligibility for the updated bivalent COVID-19 vaccine:
- You are eligible to receive an updated booster dose at least 2 months following your last vaccination, regardless of whether it was a completion of your initial series, a 1st booster or a 2nd booster dose.
- Children age 5 years old are currently recommended to receive the updated bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech booster. Children and adolescents ages 6 through 17 years can receive either the bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech or the bivalent Moderna booster.
- Individuals ages 18 and older can receive the updated bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech or updated bivalent Moderna booster.
- Booster doses are available at local pharmacies and healthcare provider offices, including local pediatrician offices for children.
- Register here for the upcoming TCHD clinic for ages 18+ (Moderna bivalent booster only).
To find out if you are eligible for a booster dose, use the CDC’s interactive, online Booster Tool. According to the CDC, if you currently have COVID-19, you should wait to get vaccinated until symptoms are gone and you have completed your isolation period. If you recently had COVID-19, you may consider delaying your next vaccine dose by 3 months from when symptoms started or, if you had no symptoms, from when you first received a positive test result.
Booster doses are available at local pharmacies and healthcare provider offices, including local pediatrician offices for children. Contact your healthcare provider or go online to vaccines.gov to find a vaccine available near you. Dial 2-1-1 (1-877-211-8667) for assistance if needed You will need to present your vaccination card demonstrating which vaccine you were given and the date your vaccine was received to obtain an updated booster dose.
Public Health Director Frank Kruppa stated, “The Health Department is offering another booster clinic following a successful clinic last week, where we vaccinated over 200 people. We recommend getting the updated booster for enhanced protection against the current strains of variants, as well as a flu shot. We encourage everyone who is eligible and able to get vaccinated and stay up to date on their vaccinations. Vaccines continue to be safe and effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death.”
The Tompkins County Health Department is your partner for a healthy community. Find us online at TompkinsCountyNY.gov/health, and follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/TompkinsPublicHealth and on Twitter at @TompkinsHealth. Sign up to receive COVID-19 updates or other county announcements via email or text.
Media contact: Shannon Alvord, salvord@tompkins-co.org
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