Full Notification

May 26, 2022 San Benito County, CA – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently expanded eligibility of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses to everyone 5 years of age and older. CDC now recommends that children ages 5 through 11 years should receive a booster shot 5 months after their initial Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination series.

Since the pandemic began, more than 15,000 children, ages 5 through 11 have been hospitalized and, tragically, over 180 have died. As cases increase across the country, a booster dose will safely help restore and enhance protection against severe disease.

In addition, today CDC is strengthening its recommendation that those 12 and older who are immunocompromised and those 50 and older should receive a second booster dose at least 4 months after their first. Over the past month there has been a significant increase in cases, with a steep and substantial increase in hospitalizations for older Americans. While older Americans have the highest coverage of any age group of first booster doses, most older Americans received their last dose (either their primary series or their first booster dose) many months ago, leaving many who are vulnerable without the protection they may need to prevent severe disease, hospitalization, and death.

Whether it is your first booster, or your second, if you haven’t had a vaccine dose since the beginning of December 2021 and you are eligible, now is the time to get one.

Vaccination with a primary series among the 5–11-year-old age group has lagged other age groups leaving them vulnerable to serious illness. With over 18 million doses administered in this age group, there is assurance that these vaccines are safe and increase the number of children who are protected. San Benito County Public Health Services encourages parents to keep their children up to date with CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.

Please check the State’s MyTurn vaccine system at myturn.ca.gov or call 1-833-422-4255 for COVID-19 vaccine booster appointments and/or walk-in options. In addition, check with your provider or local pharmacy for vaccine availability. For more information about COVID-19 vaccine, visit covid19.ca.gov/vaccines/. For more information on the COVID-19 vaccine, visit VaccinateALL58.com.