We STRONGLY RECOMMEND the COVID vaccine for anyone who is eligible. 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.
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*******
For more information on the vaccines, you can listen to this recorded Q&A session with Dr. St Clair as he answers your questions.
Recorded Q&A Session
Recorded Watauga County Vaccine Update
You can also visit any of these sites for additional information.
COVID Vaccine Information
COVID Vacine Presentation (Slide Show)
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (Frequently Asked Questions)
Why Healthy Teenagers Should Get the COVID Vaccine (Dr. St. Clair)
Where can I get a COVID vaccine?
Vaccine Finder (enter zip code and see what pharmacies are in stock)
COVID Vaccine Safety
COVID vaccines do not cause infertility! (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Society for Maternal and Fetal Medicine)
STAT News: Shattering the Infertility Myth
COVID vaccines do not cause miscarriage! (Reuters News – Fact Check)
American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology – Pregnant and Lactating Patients
Vaccines Did Not Skip Animal Trials
Vaccines Do Not Cause Variants
Dr. Paul Offit: Do COVID 19 Vaccines Cause Antibody Dependent Enhancement?
COVID – Ethics
COVID Data (New York Times)
COVID Vaccine Tracker
Interviews (Video)
Interview with Francis Collins/Russell Moore (Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Life)
Interview with Francis Collins (National Institutes for Health)
