Bivalent COVID Vaccine Now Available at Silver Thread Public Health!
Both Silver Thread offices have received shipments of the recently approved Moderna Vaccine booster for everyone 18 and older. This booster protects against the most prevalent strains of COVID-19. Creede has also received Pfizer doses for those 12 and older. See the questions below to figure out if you are eligible:
1. Have you completed a primary series of COVID vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna, or J&J)? (This would be 2 (full) doses for a non-immunocompromised person, or 3 doses (full) for an immunocompromised person.)
2. Has it been at least 2 months since your last dose of a COVID vaccine (primary or other booster?)
If you answered yes to both questions, you are eligible for this new booster. Both offices will be holding vaccine clinics on Wednesday 9/14/22. To get an appointment for this booster, please call us.
The CDC site is also helpful for people to screen themselves regarding boosters: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html
The Bivalent COVID vaccine offers protection against the BA.4 and BA.5 strains. The Omicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5 are behind an increase in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations. They’re the most transmissible and immune-evasive strains of the COVID-19 virus to date. Today, they’re causing around 80% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. BA.5 is the more transmissible of the two and is causing 65% of cases, while BA.4 is causing 17%. They are sub-variants of the coronavirus’s Omicron variant.
BA.4 and BA.5 are similar to earlier Omicron sub-variants, but they have one important difference: mutations in their spike proteins make it easier for them to penetrate human cells and cause infection. These mutations can also help BA.4 and BA.5 escape disease-fighting antibodies created by past COVID-19 vaccines and prior infections. This, along with the natural waning of vaccine protection and the fact that many communities are lifting COVID-19 restrictions, sets the stage for the virus to spread. If you are eligible for the Bivalent booster, please contact us today!
If you are interested in scheduling a vaccine appointment, please contact our office in Lake City (970) 944-0321 or Creede (719) 658-2416.
