Olmsted County health officials say COVID-19 bivalent vaccine boosters still available
This August 2022 photo provided by Pfizer shows vials of the company's updated COVID-19 vaccine during production in Kalamazoo, Mich. U.S. regulators have authorized updated COVID-19 boosters, the first to directly target today's most common omicron strain. The move on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2022, by the Food and Drug Administration tweaks the recipe of shots made by Pfizer and rival Moderna that already have saved millions of lives. (Pfizer via AP)
(ABC 6 News) – According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cases of COVID-19 are increasing while other respiratory illness rates are beginning to drop. A new COVID-19 omicron variant, XBB.1.5, is spreading quickly and being closely monitored.
The variant in current circulation is new, and Olmsted County Public Health Services (OCPHS), Mayo Clinic, and Olmsted Medical Center continue to note the importance of vaccination as a tool against severe illness. They continue to provide bivalent booster shots to those who have not already received one.
One bivalent booster has become available on:
• September 2, 2022, for people aged 12 years and older.
• October 12, 2022, for people aged 5 – 11 years.
• December 9, 2022, for children aged 6 months – 4 years who completed the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine primary series.
Individuals are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines when they have completed a COVID-19 vaccine primary series and got the most recent booster dose recommended for them by CDC. People can use the CDC’s “Find out when to get a booster” tool to see if they are up to date.
Olmsted County Public Health Services
Individuals wishing to receive a COVID vaccination from OCPHS should call 507-328-7500.
Mayo Clinic
Mayo and CDC recommend only one updated (bivalent) COVID-19 booster dose two months after a completed COVID-19 primary series or a monovalent (original) booster dose:
• For those who are healthy and moderately or severely immunocompromised.
• Everyone aged 5 years and older.
• Children aged 6 months – 4 years who completed the Moderna primary series.
CDC has not approved a bivalent booster for children aged 6 months – 4 years who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine primary series. Per CDC recommendations, Mayo will only give the bivalent Pfizer vaccine as the third dose in the primary series for those children who have not yet completed the Pfizer primary series.
Eligible patients can schedule a COVID-19 vaccine booster by:
• Using Patient Online Services.
• Calling their local primary care appointment office to schedule an appointment, if they have a primary care provider in Rochester.
• Contacting Mayo Clinic Rochester at 507-284-2511, if they do not have a primary care provider in Rochester.
Olmsted Medical Center (OMC)
COVID-19 vaccine bivalent booster available for 12+ in Rochester
To receive the COVID-19 bivalent booster:
• OMC is not offering booster-only appointments at this time. Patients wanting a booster should ask to have it given at their regularly scheduled appointment in primary care.
• Patients ages 12+ are eligible to receive the booster if they have completed their primary COVID-19 vaccine series.
COVID-19 vaccine bivalent booster available for 12+ at branch clinics
Branch clinics will be offering the COVID-19 bivalent boosters one day a week, during clinic hours. Appointments are required. The days each clinic will be offering the booster is listed below. Patients may also ask to have the booster given at an appointment with their primary care provider.
• Cannon Falls – Wednesdays
• Chatfield – Thursdays
• Lake City – Mondays
• Pine Island – Thursdays
• Plainview – Thursdays
• Preston – Tuesdays
• Spring Valley – Wednesdays
• St. Charles – Mondays
• Stewartville – Fridays
How to schedule a vaccination appointment.
• Call 507-292-7300.
• Call your primary care provider’s office.
• Schedule an appointment using OMC MyChart.
COVID-19 vaccine primary series for 12+ in Rochester
If interested in starting or finishing your COVID-19 vaccine primary series, call 507-292-7300 to schedule an appointment.
Many pharmacies are also providing COVID-19 vaccine boosters. You can find a location on the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Vaccine Finder website.