Vaccine Recommendations Updated as Omicron Variant Spreads

Recommendations involving vaccine booster doses have been updated as the COVID-19 Omicron variant quickly spreads in Wyoming and across the nation.  Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.

State Health Officer and Wyoming Department of Health Epidemiologist Dr. Alexia Harrist said recent variant sequencing results combined with CDC estimates show the Omicron variant has quickly become the most common version causing new COVID-19 infections in Wyoming. Dr. Harrist said they are once again seeing big jumps in Wyoming’s positive case count, likely due to the Omicron variant, and that they aren’t yet certain how much severe illness will accompany the increase in cases, adding that they do know vaccines are the best tool to protect people from severe illness. Harrist said they continue to encourage eligible adults and children to say yes to free, safe and effective vaccination if they haven’t already and to encourage those eligible for booster doses to get them as soon as possible to enhance and extend their protection.

The CDC updated its vaccine recommendations this week to include booster doses for fully vaccinated youth ages 12-15. A single booster dose of vaccine is now recommended for anyone ages 12 and over who received their second Pfizer dose at least five months ago. At this time, only the Pfizer vaccine is authorized for those 12-17 years of age. Adults 18 and over who received their second Moderna COVID-19 dose at least six months ago or who received a Johnson and Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine at least two months ago are also eligible for booster doses. Mixing and matching of vaccine types for booster doses is acceptable for adults. Most children ages 5-11 are eligible for two doses of the Pfizer vaccine meant for that age group if they haven’t yet been vaccinated. A third dose for children in this age group who have moderately or seriously compromised immune systems was also authorized and recommended this week.

Locally, Sheridan County has added 20 laboratory confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. There have been 80 new confirmed cases in Sheridan County since Tuesday. Six individuals are currently hospitalized in Sheridan County with the virus and the CDC rates the level of community transmission as high. The updated booster recommendations from CDC followed authorization by the federal Food and Drug Administration.

Convenient ways to find where to get COVID-19 vaccines include:

·         Visit Vaccines.gov or vacunas.gov online to search and find vaccine sites.

·         Text your ZIP code to 438829 (GETVAX) or 822862 (VACUNA) to find up to three nearby locations that have vaccines available.

·         Call the National COVID-19 Vaccination Assistance Hotline at 1-800-232-0233 for phone-based help.

All COVID-19 vaccine doses, including boosters, continue to be offered at no cost.

More information from WDH about vaccination in Wyoming can be found at https://health.wyo.gov/publichealth/immunization/wyoming-covid-19-vaccine-information/.