Monroe Review

Town of Bedford issued the following announcement on Oct 27.

Monroe County Health Department

Kim Comerzan, R.N., M.S.N. Health Officer/Director

Carl J. Schmidt, MD, MPH Chief Medical Examiner/Director

Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine Booster doses available for Monroe County residents Monroe, MI, October 26, 2021 – The Monroe County Health Department (MCHD) is now offering COVID-19 vaccine booster doses for specific populations.

Last week, following the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) approved recommendations for booster doses for people in certain priority populations if they received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson (J&J) primary COVID-19 vaccines.

Monroe County Health Department is now offering Moderna and J&J booster doses by appointment.

Booster doses are now available for all three of the approved COVID-19 vaccines at MCHD.  Eligible individuals may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose. CDC's recommendations now allow for this type of mix and match dosing for booster shots. Individuals who received an mRNA (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) COVID-19 primary vaccine, the following groups are now eligible for a booster shot six months or more after their initial series:

• 65 years and older.

• Age 18+ who live in long-term care settings.

• Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions.

• Age 18+ who work or live in high-risk settings.

People over age 18 who received a single dose of the J&J (Janssen) vaccine should receive a single J&J COVID-19 booster dose at least two months after completing their primary series.

• The use of a single booster dose of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine may be administered at least two months after completion of the single-dose primary regimen to individuals 18 years of age and older.

To schedule an appointment please call 734-240-7830

Additional information can be found at http://www.healthymonroecounty.com

Per CDC, occupations at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission include frontline essential workers and health care workers including:

• First responders (EMS, health care workers, firefighters, police, congregate care staff).

• Education staff (teachers, support staff, daycare workers).

• Food and agriculture workers.

• Manufacturing workers.

• Corrections workers.

• U.S. Postal Service workers

• Public transit workers.

• Grocery store workers.

Booster doses are available by appointment only and we are asking that you bring your COVID-19 vaccine card with you to your appointment along with your identification.

Please wear a mask upon entering MCHD and throughout your appointment. You will not be eligible for the vaccine if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms (cough, fever greater than 100.4º, loss of taste or smell, shortness of breath, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, muscle aches), flu like symptoms, are in isolation/quarantine or waiting for results of a COVID-19 test.  

As previously recommended, Michiganders with moderately to severely compromised immune systems should receive an additional dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine at least 28 days after a second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. This additional dose is intended to improve the response of people who are immunocompromised to their initial vaccine series, per the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).

To date 50.1%, of Monroe County residents, have gotten at least their first dose of one of the three safe, effective vaccines. 46.3% have completed the 2 dose series.

From January to October 12, unvaccinated Michiganders accounted for 93.1% of COVID cases, 90.7% of hospitalizations and 90.5% of deaths.

For anyone not yet vaccinated, all three vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J) are available at the MCHD.  COVID-19 vaccines continue to be widely available from local health providers and pharmacies.

For more information about COVID-19 vaccine, visit Michigan.gov/COVIDVaccine

For more information about COVID-19 in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/coronavirus

Original source can be found here.