This week’s most exciting news is the expansion of vaccine availability to children age 5-11. The COVID vaccine is widely available and the Washtenaw County Health Department recommends that families check with your pediatrician or pharmacy. You can also receive the vaccine directly through the Washtenaw County Health Department.
https://www.washtenaw.org/3269/COVID-19-Vaccination?fbclid=IwAR18kmVlOEqMfHuEMy4k3lgv6GPZpIbdczvZbHLRlwD74H8mluLHTsinYIc
From the County website:
COVID-19 vaccine is officially authorized for 5-11 year olds! We will begin giving vaccines to this age group by appointment on Tuesday, November 9. Appointments for minors ages 5-17 can be scheduled here for next week only: http://bit.ly/kidvaxwchd
Available appointments for children will be added at noon on Friday, Nov 5 and Monday, Nov 8 (and as appointments are cancelled). If you cannot schedule online starting 11/5, please contact the Health Department at 734-544-6700 or health@washtenaw.org.
The first appointments will be on Tuesday, Nov 9.
I encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity as soon as possible – spread the word!
Booster Shots
I represent the City of Ann Arbor on the Washtenaw Urban County Executive Committee. This week we met and heard a presentation from the head of the County Health Department, Jimena Loveluck, that included current trends and statistics about local COVID infection rates and hospitalizations, relative to vaccination status. Our community is now seeing a rise in hospitalizations of people who were vaccinated but have not yet received the booster shot. For those of us who received our vaccinations sometime this spring, it may be time to schedule a booster. If you received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine at least six months ago, the County Health Department offers the booster to:
- Older adults age 65 years and older
- Long-term care setting residents ages 18 years and older
- People with underlying medical conditions ages 50–64 years
- People with underlying medical conditions ages 18–49 years
- People who work or live in high-risk settings ages 18–64 years
More about booster shot eligibility can be found at the Washtenaw County Health department site here:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html
In my regular job outside of Council, I teach preschool, which qualifies as a high-risk work setting. I received my Moderna vaccine shots over six months ago, so this weekend I took advantage of a Washtenaw County clinic to get my own booster shot. Please do what you can to keep us all safe!