With updated COVID-19 booster shots developed to better treat new variants becoming more available, San Mateo County health officials are imploring the public to take up the earliest opportunity to be treated.
“We see the arrival of the new booster as another hopeful milestone with the data the FDA considered in its approval strongly suggesting improved protection against currently circulating variants,” read Chief of Health Louise Rogers’ Letter from the Chief, published and shared with the Board of Supervisors Tuesday.
Bivalent boosters, engineered to better treat against COVID-19 and its more infectious mutations, will become more accessible this week through county clinics and large health care providers.
County-run clinics in East Palo Alto, North Fair Oaks, San Mateo, Half Moon Bay, South San Francisco and Daly City are offering boosters on a walk-up basis this week and will begin offering appointments sometime around Sept. 21 through the state’s MyTurn website.
Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health and other health care providers will also begin offering the updated boosters this week, expanding availability beyond pharmacies that began offering the doses last week.
“We appreciate the continued engagement of many partners involved in assuring equitable reach of the vaccine,” Rogers wrote.
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Fully vaccinated people ages 18 and older are eligible for a booster by Moderna while a Pfizer booster is available to vaccinated people 12 and older. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued guidance that those who have recently contracted the virus may wait up to three months before getting boosted, which would provide additional immunity after the body’s natural immunity wanes, according to the Message from the Chief.
County Health recommends anyone who is at high risk of severe illness, including the elderly and people with underlying health conditions, and those who frequently in group settings like schools and congregate living facilities, get boosted as soon as possible.
The public is also encouraged to continue practicing other safety measures like masking in indoor settings, implementing good ventilation practices, getting tested and isolating when feeling symptomatic and contacting a health care provider.
“We believe Dr. Rochelle Walensky, CDC director, said it well: ‘If you are eligible, there is no bad time to get your COVID-19 booster and I strongly encourage you to receive it,’” read the letter. “The key messages for prevention and protection remain relevant as we head into the fall and winter seasons.”
Visit the County Health website at smchealth.org/coronavirus for more information on COVID-19 vaccines, boosters and other updates.
Remember, for these booster shots, you are the guinea pig. These shots have not been previously tested on human subjects, only mice. With the multitude of new data coming out each day regarding side effects related to COVID jabs please make an informed decision before subjecting yourself to these experimental and untested boosters. I doubt Moderna or Pfizer will pay your hospital or funeral costs if you have a bad reaction.
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Remember, for these booster shots, you are the guinea pig. These shots have not been previously tested on human subjects, only mice. With the multitude of new data coming out each day regarding side effects related to COVID jabs please make an informed decision before subjecting yourself to these experimental and untested boosters. I doubt Moderna or Pfizer will pay your hospital or funeral costs if you have a bad reaction.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.