All is not Quiet on the COVID Front

COVID is still here. It hasn’t gone away, but we do hear less about it. Why? The public is tired of hearing about it, and people don’t want to talk about it anymore. However, our community is still seeing sickness. We still diagnose COVID in our patients, and even our staff fights the virus, although right now, we are celebrating a low internal transmission rate – with caution. We’d love for it to stop completely, but all we can do is continue to fight it – just like you.

On Wednesday, April 19, the CDC recommended that everyone ages 6 years and older receive an updated (bivalent) mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of whether they previously completed their (monovalent) primary series. They also amended recommendations about additional doses for immunocompromised and/or older persons. The CDC statement discusses all recommendations, including about young children. These recommendations follow the FDA’s amendment of the emergency use authorizations for these vaccines. See the FDA announcement.

While vaccines do not provide full (100%) protection, ‘breakthrough infections’ – where people get the virus, despite being fully vaccinated – will occur. However, when vaccinated people get sick, they are likely to have milder symptoms and your vaccination may keep you out of the hospital and help you recover. Most of us have experienced COVID and know it is no walk in the park. 

Vaccines are available for our patients as well as anyone in the community who would like to schedule an appointment through our pharmacy. Keep your immunizations up to date. Help us to help you.