Powder River Public Health to Hold Booster Clinics

By PR County Public Health Nurse Darlynn Williams

Powder River Public Health is planning for booster clinics to be held at the Powder River Medical Clinic. The first clinic will be held November 10 from 9am-4pm. Appointments are required. We will be offering Moderna, Pfizer and J&J vaccine doses 1,2 or booster. When making your appointment please confirm your date of previous COVID vaccinations.

On October 22, 2021, the CDC's independent Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended a booster shot of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson/ Janssen COVID-19 vaccine in certain populations.

There are now booster recommendations for all three available COVID-19 vaccines in the United States. Eligible individuals may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose. Some people may have a preference for the vaccine type that they originally received, and others may prefer to get a different booster. CDC's recommendations now allow for this type of mix and match dosing for booster shots.

For people who received a primary dose of J&J (Janssen) vaccine, anyone aged 18+ who is two months past their initial date of vaccination is eligible for a booster dose regardless of underlying condition. A single booster dose of the Johnson and Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 Vaccine (0.5 mL) may be administered as a booster dose following completion of primary vaccination with another authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine.

For people who received a primary series of Moderna or Pfizer (mRNA) vaccine, a booster shot is available for people with certain underlying health conditions and/or risk factors who completed the second shot of their series at least six months prior. A dose of any mRNA vaccine or J&J may be given as the booster.

Eligibility criteria for a booster following the completion of a Moderna or Pfizer (mRNA) primary series:

• People 65 years and older

• Residents in long-term care settings 18 years or older

• People aged 50 to 64 with certain underlying medical conditions

• People 18 to 49 who are at high risk for severe COVID-19 due to certain underlying medical conditions

• People aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting

Examples of underlying medical conditions include: Cancer, Stroke, Chronic kidney disease, COPD, Emphysema, Fatty Liver Disease, Diabetes Mellitus type 1 & 2, Heart failure, Coronary Artery disease, Depression, Obesity, Pregnancy, Current or former smoker.

Powder River Public Health will be closed from 11/3-11/8 and 11/15-11/19. We'll also be closed for Veteran's Day on 11/11.