COVID-19 booster recommendations updated as numbers begin to rise

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KSNB) - As COVID-19 numbers begin to tick up in the Central District, the Center for Disease Control has updated recommendations on who should receive COVID-19 vaccine booster shots and when.

The changes to booster recommendations include:

-All children ages 5-11-years-old should now receive a booster vaccine 5 months after completing their primary series.

-Children ages 5-11-years-old who are moderately or severely immunocompromised should receive a booster 3 months after completing their primary series.

-Only the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is authorized and recommended for children 5 through 17 years old.

-Parents with questions are encouraged to talk to their child’s healthcare provider, school nurse, or local pharmacist to learn more about the booster, and the importance of keeping children up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.

In addition, those 50 years and older who received any COVID-19 booster dose—as well as moderately or severely immunocompromised persons age 12 years and older should is receive a second booster dose using an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. You can find out more information at the CDC website.

These recommendations come on the heels of the third straight week of increased COVID-19 numbers in the Central District.

After a several month period of low cases and transmission, 80 total cases were reported in the last 7 days with a test positivity rate of 33 percent.

Vaccination provides both the most effective and longest lasting protection against the worst symptoms of COVID-19, which include severe fatigue, cough, lung damage and “long Covid” where symptoms persist long past the initial infection.

CDHD offers vaccine clinics from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Mondays – Fridays with Thursday clinics running until 6 p.m. No appointment is necessary, and no one is turned away. In addition, there’s COVID-19 testing through Nomi Health from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Mondays – Thursdays at our drive through location, 1137 South Locust Street in Grand Island. At home COVID-19 tests are also available.