The county’s COVID-19 vaccine campaign this year will largely focus on educating people about how and where to get the new booster.
Last month, the FDA authorized a new COVID-19 vaccine and the CDC recommended it for those ages 6 months and older.
County Health Officer Dr. Kisha Davis said the county did “a really good job” with vaccination rates during the primary series of COVID-19 shots that began in 2021.
When looking at the rates for the bivalent booster that came out last year, the county reached about double the national rates, but “could have done a lot better,” Davis said during a council meeting Tuesday.
Data she presented showed 95% of the population aged 12+ received the primary series, compared to lower percentages for the bivalent booster: 25% of the population ages 12-17, 33% of those ages 18-64, and 72% of those ages 64+.
71% of the 5-11 age population received the primary vaccination series, compared to 17% of that group receiving the bivalent booster.
County health officials hope the newest booster will push those rates this fall. Resources for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) campaign will be focused on the most vulnerable communities.
“We know that it’s safe and we know that it makes a difference, especially in our seniors and those folks who are immunocompromised,” Davis said.
She noted changes in vaccine rollout this time around, with distribution mostly being through primary care and retail pharmacies. According to the county, most health insurance covers the vaccine for free.
County-run clinics will be more focused on uninsured individuals. The county has a limited amount of doses for uninsured residents.
Officials previously advised residents to contact their healthcare provider or go to vaccines.gov to find locations for COVID-19 and flu shots. A new bridge access program provides vaccines to uninsured adults — those options are also viewable through the site.
