COVID-19 News and Updates
Hello all,
Nina Duggan here with the latest COVID-19 news and updates. This week we will be discussing the recent bivalent booster approval for children.
COVID Communication:
Yale Medicine Answers Your Questions About the New Bivalent Booster
Yale has recently put out a valuable resource for concerned community members and healthcare advocates alike. They answer a host of questions that are commonly circulating around the new bivalent booster (in easy to understand pieces), such as when to get the booster, why it wasn’t tested on humans, and how changing the vaccine for the variants affects the vaccine itself.
Follow this link for the full document from Yale Medicine.
COVID in the News:
State of COVID-19 in Maine
COVID-19 is on the rise throughout the state, with case counts, hospitalizations, and deaths up over the last two weeks and test positivity hovering at around 12%. The new bivalent boosters are currently at a low vaccination rate, but are proving to have a robust immune response to the circulating Omicron variants.
Update on COVID-19 and the Fall Flu Season
Health officials are already seeing a higher-than-expected number of flu cases this year, beginning as early as July, with concerns about a more severe toll this winter. What’s worse, according to a recent poll, less than half of the country plans on getting their flu vaccine this fall. More concerning, this is coupled with a low rate of vaccination with the new bivalent booster. Doctors are worried that a winter surge in COVID and flu could put even more pressure on an already taxed healthcare system and lead once more to an uptick in deaths this winter. Vaccine advocates are encouraged to share information about the two vaccines, like the fact that they can be received at the same time, and to help spread awareness about these upcoming winter season health concerns.
Bivalent Booster Now Available to Children 5 and Up
The CDC has approved the bivalent boosters for children 5 and up. Pfizer is currently cleared for children 5-11 years old, whereas Moderna is cleared for children ages 6 through 17 years of age. As with the adult bivalent boosters, children must have first received their two-dose primary series and be at least two months out from their last COVID vaccination. These boosters come at a good time, as currently a little less than 80% of COVID cases in the United States are due to the Omicron BA.5 variant.
Follow this link for the full statement as covered by NBC News
Featured in the Field:
COVID-19 Vaccine Project
The COVID-19 Vaccine Education and Equity Project continuously puts out updated information, Q&As, and online forums for COVID health equity advocates. Their resources are available in both English and Spanish.
They can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
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If you or anyone you know have questions or concerns about COVID-19 or the available vaccines please call or text our COVID-19 Peer Support Line at 207-271-6023, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.