NEW HANOVER COUNTY — Anyone 12 and up can now receive a Covid-19 booster at New Hanover County Health and Human Services’ locations.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave the thumbs up to the Pfizer booster shots this week for ages 12 to 15.
New Hanover County health officials are “strongly” encouraging the added precaution against Covid-19. The county runs two vaccination clinics: one at 1650 Greenfield Street and another inside Independence Mall.
People can walk in to get a shot or make an appointment at TakeMyShot.NC.gov.
“No vaccine gives someone 100 percent immunity, but by getting the full series of COVID vaccines and a booster, a person is much better protected and less likely to suffer severe illness from the virus,” New Hanover County Pandemic Operations Manager Jon Campbell, who was recently hired to the new position, stated in a Thursday news release. “Our vaccine clinics are open, and we hope individuals and families will take advantage of them to protect themselves, their loved ones and our community.”
The CDC advises people who are vaccinated with Pfizer to get a booster shot five months after their second dose. People who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should only wait two months, and people fully vaccinated with the Moderna shots should wait six months.
New Hanover County’s percent positivity is up to 23.4% and the average daily case count is 215. New Hanover Regional Medical Center is reporting, as of Jan. 3, an average of 43 Covid-19 hospital patients per day over the prior week.
To date, about 65% of New Hanover County residents have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. Around 61% of the population is “fully vaccinated.”
New Hanover County Health and Human Service Director Donna Fayko released the following statement Thursday:
“The omicron variant is circulating quickly through our community and is very contagious, which has made our cases increase significantly. We encourage everyone to be even more vigilant right now – wear a mask, test and stay home if you are sick, and try to avoid crowded indoor spaces. The good news is that this variant doesn’t seem to cause as severe of illness and the number of people hospitalized also seems manageable at this time, and we want to ensure that continues. We know that there will be highs and lows with this virus, and that COVID-19 is not going away any time soon. Many of you have made the effort to not only protect yourself but also to protect those you care about by getting vaccinated and wearing a mask. I want to thank you for your efforts while encouraging everyone to continue taking individual precautions to better manage and mitigate this virus. The most important thing each person can do is be vaccinated and get a booster when you’re eligible.”
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