CHESTER — The Randolph County Health Department reported 15 new cases of COVID-19 and two additional deaths as of Wednesday.
There are 42 active cases with two persons in the hospital.
There have been 5,566 cases since the pandemic began in March 2020. There have been 5,426 recoveries and 98 deaths.
The Illinois Department of Public Health reports 43.87 percent of Randolph County residents are fully vaccinated for COVID-19.
That compares with the 65.6 percent rate for the state as a whole.
The Randolph County Health Department has released a schedule of upcoming COVID-19 vaccination clinics.
Pfizer vaccination clinics will be held from 8:30-11:30 a.m. Wednesday, October 20th, Thursday, October 28th, Thursday, November 4th, Wednesday, November 17th, and Tuesday, November 30th.
(This vaccine has been approved for children aged 12-17 as well as adults.)
The parents of children aged 12-17 should call the health department at 618 826 5007 and register them for the Pfizer clinic.
Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian when they go to the clinic.
A Moderna vaccine clinic will be held 1-3:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 26.
A flu vaccine clinic will be held from 1-3 p.m. Friday, October 22 and 8-noon Friday, October 29.
Call 618-826-5007 for more information or to schedule an appointment.
Meanwhile the Randolph County Health Department is strongly recommending that everyone in Randolph County wear a mask while in a public setting and refrain from crowds or gatherings to protect themselves.
Booster Shot:
Currently the only vaccine that has been approved for a booster dose is the Pfizer vaccine. Moderna and Johnson and Johnson have not been approved for a booster dose at this time.
Following are the CDC’s recommendations for who should receive the booster and for those who may receive the booster:
- People 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series.
- People aged 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions should receive a booster shot of Pfizer BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series.
- People aged 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions may receive a booster shot of Pfizer BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks.
- People aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks.
Booster vs. Third dose
What is a COVID-19 vaccine booster?
A COVID booster shot is an additional dose of a vaccine given after the protection provided by the original shot(s) has begun to decrease over time. Typically, you would get a booster after the immunity from the initial dose(s) naturally starts to wane. The booster is designed to help people maintain their level of immunity for longer.
What is a third dose of the coronavirus vaccine?
A third dose of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer or Moderna) is identical to the first two doses. It can help protect people with weakened immune systems who did not have a strong enough response to the first two doses of one of the mRNA vaccines. Such people can get a third dose as soon as 28 days after a second dose.
The FDA has authorized, and the CDC recommends, that those with certain medical conditions that suppress the immune system get a third dose of the same brand of COVID-19 vaccine that they initially received.
Providing Easy Access to Booster Shots for All Eligible Americans:
Booster shots will be free, and widely available across 80,000 locations—from pharmacies to doctors’ offices to health centers.
Individuals will be able to find a vaccination site at Vaccines.gov, including what vaccines are available at each site and, for many sites, what appointments are open. A toll-free number, 1-800-232-0233, will also be available in over 150 languages. Americans who have already utilized the text code 438829 or WhatsApp to get vaccine information will automatically receive a text with information on boosters, if and when recommended.