The Jefferson County Health Department (JCHD) has announced updated recommendations for residents receiving COVID-19 booster shots.
Jefferson County epidemiologist Samroz Jakvani said that, in alignment with guidance from the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), the JCHD now recommends that all individuals age 12 and older should receive a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine months after having received their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech (Pfizer) or Moderna vaccine.
All individuals aged 12 or older are eligible for booster doses, which most strongly are recommended for everyone aged 50 and older due to the high risk for severe disease.
Individuals who received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine two or more months ago also are eligible for a booster dose of any of the available COVID-19 vaccines.
Jakvani noted that the mRNA vaccines (Moderna and Pfizer) are preferred over the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine due to superior relative effectiveness of the mRNA vaccines for both primary series and boosters. The CDC’s recommendations now also allow for mix-and-match dosing for booster doses.
He said that some people might prefer the vaccine brand or type that they originally received, and others might prefer to get a different booster. Only Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is approved for individuals less than 18 years of age.
More than 500 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the United States. COVID-19 vaccines continue to be highly effective at reducing risk for severe disease, hospitalization and death, Jakvani said. Data show increasingly shows that COVID-19 vaccination is safe, and that serious adverse events are rare, including for pediatric populations.
“With the increasingly and critically high-level of SARS-CoV-2 transmission across the United States, Wisconsin, and in Jefferson County, the JCHD strongly urges all community members to stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccination, including booster doses,” he said in a news release.
“Additionally, JCHD advises all community members to follow public health measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including masking up indoors, staying home when sick, avoiding large indoor gatherings, getting tested when appropriate, and informing close contacts know of their exposure. Getting vaccinated for COVID-19 is the best way to protect yourself and others around you,” the county epidemiologist added.
The JCHD will be administering COVID-19 vaccine at the health department Monday through Friday by appointment only. Appointments may be made by calling the department at (920) 674-7275.
To find a COVID-19 vaccination site, visit www.vaccines.gov, text your zip code to 438829, or call 211. Persons also may also call (844) 684-1064 or (800) 232-0233.
New York Times data shows that as of Jan. 10, Jefferson County has had 16,752 cases of COVID-19, up 406 since the prior day. One additional death was reported, bringing the toll to 194.
In Fort Atkinson, 65% of the population has received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine. In the School District of Fort Atkinson, 63.34% have had at least one dose of the vaccine.
A chart, as provided on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website, shows the number of reported confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases by date of symptom onside or diagnosis in Jefferson County.
A chart, as provided on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website, shows the cumulative total number of reporter COVID-19 deaths among confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases by date of death in Jefferson County. The number reaches, as of the update of this chart on Jan. 10, at 194.
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