ACHD report outlines positives

By Alan Dale, News Editor
Posted 10/1/22

Earlier this month, Centers for Disease Control Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, endorsed the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommendations for use of updated …

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ACHD report outlines positives

Posted

Earlier this month, Centers for Disease Control Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, endorsed the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommendations for use of updated COVID-19 boosters from Pfizer-BioNTech for people ages 12 years and older and from Moderna for people ages 18 years and older.

Craig Brace, administrator/CEO of Audrain County Health Department, could also report recently that as of Sept. 7, the current COVID community transmission status was low in the county, so the wins versus the pandemic continue to pile up.

Additionally, Brace noted that 61 cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in the state of Missouri as well. Brace’s recent county health report included a note that “Only individuals who have completed their primary vaccination series (two doses of Pfizer or Moderna or one dose of Johnson & Johnson) are eligible to receive the bivalent booster. Those who have recently received Novavax are not yet eligible for any booster at this time.”

The original formulations of Pfizer, Moderna, J&J and Novavax will continue to be
used. Booster doses use reduced amounts of the original vaccines, according to Brace.

Individuals are eligible for the bivalent booster two months since their last primary or booster dose of Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson. The previous monovalent booster will no longer be available to persons 12 and older; the FDA is removing authorization for those boosters to reduce provider confusion for staff administering vaccines.

Individuals may choose to receive either the Pfizer or Moderna bivalent booster, regardless of which primary series vaccine or original booster dose they had previously.

Individuals can call ACHD at 573-581-1332 or schedule online at myachd.as.me

ACHD provided booster shots at the Mexico High School football game against
Fulton on Friday.

ACHD is currently pursuing the DHSS and CDC Building Communities for a Better
Health Grant.

The purpose of the program is to engage communities to work collaboratively
to improve health outcomes through implementing policy, system, and environmental change strategies and activities to address the underlying causes of physical inactivity and commercial tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure - two of the leading risk factors for chronic disease, according to Brace.

The program aligns with the ACHD 2023 Strategic Initiatives and the ACHD vision statement to improve overall health outcomes in Audrain County.

ACHD will be notified in October as to whether the health department will be granted the award.


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