COVID Vaccination Updates

The FDA has approved and the CDC has recommended the Pfizer COVID vaccine for children 6 months and up.  The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends this vaccine.  The pediatric dose for children 5-11 years old is one-third of the adult dose and a second shot is recommended 21 days later. The baby dose for children 6 months-4 years is one-tenth of the adult dose and one-third the dose for 5-11 year olds. This is a three-shot series, the second dose is recommended 3 weeks later and the third dose is recommended two months after the second dose.

More information:
Keep Boone Healthy video – Dr. St. Clair, Dr. Elliott, Jen Greene, and David Jackson
Watauga Democrat article – Dr. St. Clair answers questions about the vaccine for children 5-11 years old
Watauga Democrat article– Dr. St Clair answers questions about the vaccine for ages 6 months-4 years old

COVID Bivalent Vaccine Booster

The FDA and CDC have approved a new, bivalent COVID vaccine booster.  This will be available to patients 12 and older who have completed their 2-dose primary series and are at least two months since their last dose.  To start, we will only be offering this at our Friday COVID vaccine clinics with doses available beginning on September 9th.  Please call to get on the COVID vaccine clinic schedule.

What is a bivalent vaccine?
It simply means that it has two parts.  Half of the vaccine is a booster of the original strain of COVID;  the other half provides protection against Omicron variant BA.5 (which currently causes over 90% of cases). This is the first vaccine against the Omicron variant since it emerged last winter.

Who is eligible?
-Patients 12 and older
AND
-Have completed their primary 2-dose series
AND
-Are at least two months from their last COVID shot

******Patients cannot get this vaccine for their primary series*******

Resources

Please help us know how we’re doing by completing our patient satisfaction survey after your visit.

Patient Portal

Access to the Blue Ridge Pediatric patient portal is by invitation only. If you have already received an invitation to our new FollowMyHealth portal and created your login please Click Here to login into your child’s account.

Some features available on the patient portal include: Appointment Requests, Medication Refill Requests, and General Messaging. In addition, you will be able to view your child’s immunization records, vitals, medications, and more.  We encourage you to familiarize yourself and begin using the patient portal.

If you would like to request an invitation for a child, please complete the Patient Portal Invitation Request Form and return it by fax, postal mail or drop off. You may also complete the form while you are in the office. For HIPAA purposes, we do not accept forms via e-mail.

If you have any technical issues involving our portal, please call our office and we will respond within 24-72 business hours.