The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of October 14, 2022, there are currently 903 active COVID-19 cases statewide. There have been 13 deaths reported since the last report, with a total of 7,470 deaths attributed to COVID-19.
DHHR has confirmed the deaths of a 78-year old female from Raleigh County, an 80-year old female from Cabell County, a 64-year old male from Taylor County, a 67-year old female from Wyoming County, a 91-year old male from Brooke County, a 72-year old female from Mercer County, a 45-year old female from Mercer County, a 97-year old female from Raleigh County, a 96-year old female from Jefferson County, a 70-year old female from Kanawha County, a 73-year old female from Taylor County, a 72-year old female from Monongalia County, and a 99-year old female from Raleigh County.
"The more people who choose to get vaccinated and boosted, the safer everyone can be," said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. "COVID vaccines and boosters are widely available, free and easy to schedule."
CURRENT ACTIVE CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (6), Berkeley (76), Boone (7), Braxton (9), Brooke (23), Cabell (24), Calhoun (3), Clay (2), Doddridge (2), Fayette (13), Gilmer (5), Grant (5), Greenbrier (19), Hampshire (10), Hancock (13), Hardy (9), Harrison (42), Jackson (13), Jefferson (31), Kanawha (77), Lewis (11), Lincoln (10), Logan (39), Marion (31), Marshall (10), Mason (12), McDowell (9), Mercer (38), Mineral (19), Mingo (19), Monongalia (32), Monroe (9), Morgan (16), Nicholas (8), Ohio (16), Pendleton (1), Pleasants (4), Pocahontas (9), Preston (20), Putnam (16), Raleigh (40), Randolph (5), Ritchie (4), Roane (12), Summers (8), Taylor (7), Tucker (0), Tyler (5), Upshur (9), Wayne (13), Webster (6), Wetzel (2), Wirt (1), Wood (46), Wyoming (27). To find the cumulative cases per county, please visit www.coronavirus.wv.gov and look on the Cumulative Summary tab which is sortable by county.
West Virginians ages 6 months and older are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. All individuals ages 6 months and older should receive a primary series of vaccination, the initial set of shots that teaches the body to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19. At this time, one Omicron booster shot (bivalent) is recommended for everyone ages 5 years and older who completed the primary series, and their most recent COVID-19 shot was at least 2 months ago.
Visit the WV COVID-19 Vaccination Due Date Calculator, a free, online tool that helps individuals figure out when they may be due for a COVID-19 shot, making it easier to stay up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccination. To learn more about COVID-19 vaccines, or to find a vaccine, visit vaccines.gov, vaccinate.wv.gov, or call 1-833-734-0965. Please visit the COVID-19 testing locations page to locate COVID-19 testing near you.
Women have been reporting anecdotally for months now that their periods were being affected by COVID-19 vaccines, and a major new global study reporting on a quarter of a million menstrual cycles, recorded by almost 20.000 individuals, has confirmed that the vaccine can alter menstrual cycles slightly but crucially, the effect is temporary.
Although such fluctuations may not have a lasting effect on womens health, changes to a biological process linked to fertility can cause concern and should be addressed appropriately so that it doesnt fuel vaccine hesitancy, say scientists.
A team led by Alison Edelman at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, USA, undertook a global retrospective study using data collected, with consent, through a period tracking app. They found that vaccinated people saw their cycles become shorter or longer, but with a change of less than a day on average, whereas people who had not been vaccinated saw no change. Women who received both vaccine doses in a single menstrual period saw their cycle increase by 3.91 days.
This study builds on a previous smaller US study that found similar results. In this global study, they analysed data from 19,622 individuals aged 18 to 45 years with cycle lengths of 24 to 38 days; 14,936 were vaccinated and 4,686 were unvaccinated. The participants were at least three cycles after pregnancy or after use of hormonal contraception and not menopausal. Thus, the researchers report on more than a quarter of a million menstrual cycles recorded by almost 20,000 individuals.
A change in cycle length of up to eight days is considered within normal variation. However, more than 1,300 people had a clinically significant change in cycle length of eight days or more, and this was significantly higher in the vaccinated group (6.2%) compared with 5.0% in the unvaccinated. It is still not clear why some saw such large variations in cycle length and what the mechanisms driving this are, say the researchers.
Scientists have been trying to calm fears over fertility being affected by COVID-19 vaccination since anecdotal reports over altered periods surfaced. That vaccines could affect fertility is a common myth Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO) has said previously. Earlier this year, a study of 2,000 couples trying to conceive without fertility treatment showed that COVID-19 vaccination did not affect peoples chances of getting pregnant.
Dr Amelia Wesselink and her team at Boston University School of Public Health analysed data from a pregnancy study that follows US and Canadian women aged 21 to 45 years trying to conceive. The study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that either partners vaccination status did not alter their chance of conceiving.
However, while no link between vaccination and fertility has been discovered, there is a link with the disease the vaccine fights. The team found that conception during a given menstrual cycle was less likely if the male partner had tested positive for COVID-19 up to 60 days earlier. Indeed, COVID-19 can be a major risk to both the mother and baby. Pregnant women with moderate to severe COVID-19 may face a greater risk of death or serious illness from complications. Their babies may also be at greater risk of preterm birth, stillbirth or newborn death, which vaccination against COVID-19 can prevent.
The slight change in the length of the menstrual cycle did not affect the length of the period. For most people, the change in cycle length resolved by the next period.
Participants received one of nine different vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Covishield, Sputnik, Covaxin, Sinopharm and Sinovac. The changes in menstrual cycle length did not differ between vaccines.
Several new variants have been detected in pockets of the world, but it's still unclear how new COVID-19 boosters will protect against them.
Author: wfaa.com
Published: 11:25 AM CDT October 14, 2022
Updated: 11:25 AM CDT October 14, 2022
Published on October 14, 2022
The City and County of Denver provided the following COVID-19 status update.
The Time is Now for Seasonal Flu Shots
Flu cases are already rising in parts of the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Pediatricians are also seeing a growing number of children sick with respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, and enteroviruses.
The Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) anticipates more flu activity this winter than the previous two years. DDPHE recommends everyone get a flu shot as getting a flu vaccine is an essential part of protecting your health and your familys health every year.
Flu shots are readily available. Medicare, Medicaid and most private health insurers cover the full cost of a flu vaccine. Some pharmacies, like CVS and Walgreens offer free flu shots.
DDPHE continues to urge everyone to be mindful and take precautions when going about their fall routines. If you feel sick, stay home and get tested. More information and resources are available at denvergov.org/covid19.
Feds Greenlight Updated Omicron Booster for Kids
The federal government has cleared the way for elementary school-aged children to get the updated Omicron booster shot. Two versions are available; one made by Pfizer for 5- to 11-year-olds, and a version from Moderna for 611-year-olds, and one for 12-17-year-olds. The doses are modified to target todays most common and contagious Omicron strain. DDPHE encourages everyone to get the extra protection ahead of holiday gatherings.
DDPHE recognizes many people may be tired of repeated calls to get boosted against COVID-19, but experts say the updated shots have an advantage: They contain half the recipe that targeted the original coronavirus strain and half protection against the dominant BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron versions. These combination or bivalent boosters are designed to broaden immune defenses, so people are better protected against serious illness whether they encounter an Omicron relative in the coming months -- or a different mutation thats more like the original virus.All COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are safe and free. Additional resources about COVID-19 vaccines and boosters can be found on the DDPHE COVID-19 webpage.
Denver County Current CDC Level: Low/Green
Denver County Current Status
*Numbers represent data as of Thursday, Oct., 13, 2022 and are subject to change.
Denver residents 6 months and older initiating vaccination 1st dose received: 85.3%
Denver residents 6 months and older completing vaccinationFully vaccinated: 77.9%
Denver residents 5 and older receiving booster dose- after initial vaccine series: 50.4%
Denver one-week cumulative incidence rate (7-day average of cases per 100,000 population)
As of 10/12/22: 58.7 per 100,000
Denver one-week average positivity rate*
As of 10/12/22: 4.9%
Hospitalizations
Persons hospitalized with COVID-19 in Denver County: 21 (as of 10/12/22)
Case Summary
Cumulative Denver positive cases: 212,749 (as of 10/13/22)
Cumulative Denver deaths from COVID-19: 1,466 (as of 10/13/22)
BOSTON BioNTech CEO Uur ahin had been in marathon meetings since he arrived in this city three days earlier, but if his energy had flagged it didnt show. The clock had not even struck 8 a.m., and there was ahin, in front of a table at the Four Seasons strewn with continental breakfast, deep in discussion with HIV expert Bruce Walker of the Ragon Institute.
Before Walker left, ahin asked a reporter, newly arrived, to snap a photo of them to commemorate the moment.
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While coronavirus cases in California remain fairly under control, a new rise in Europe is fueling fresh concerns about a potential winter wave here.
Britain, France, Germany and Italy have all reported increasing coronavirus cases since mid-September, according to data presented by Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.
Throughout the pandemic, trends and cases in Europe have served as a predictor for trending cases in the United States. This was true at the beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020, and also before each of our subsequent surges. And we should be prepared for it to possibly be true again, Ferrer said.
Ferrer said there is no need for immediate concern about a number of new Omicron subvariants that health officials are closely tracking nationwide. Still, some experts are predicting the subvariants have a greater evolutionary advantage than their predecessors, meaning that theyre more contagious; they can crowd out other circulating COVID viruses; and they can break through protection, such as prior infections and vaccinations.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday estimated that the share of weekly coronavirus cases due to the dominant BA.5 subvariant has shrunken to 68%, down from a peak of 87% in mid-August. The share attributed to potentially troublesome subvariants is up: BA.4.6 now likely makes up 12% of cases; BQ.1.1, 6%; BF.7, 5%; and BA.2.75.2, 1%.
While cases in the last fall-and-winter wave were far higher than during the first fall-and-winter surge, hospitalizations and deaths were lower. And Ferrer said she hopes that if more people get the updated Omicron-specific bivalent booster shot, any new seasonal wave will be less severe.
Many people who have been vaccinated and previously boosted are more than six months out from their last dose, making them more vulnerable to infection. Officials hope the new booster shot will reduce the likelihood of infection, as well as hospitalization and death.
For anyone who has been putting off getting their COVID-19 booster or flu shot, hoping to time it closer to the next wave, officials and experts say nows the time to do it, given that coronavirus transmission can start increasing in November, and for the flu, in December. It takes about two weeks after a COVID-19 booster or flu shot is given for a person to be considered fully protected.
In L.A. County, 81% of residents 12 and older have completed their primary COVID-19 vaccination series. Of residents in that age group who are eligible for a conventional booster shot, 59% have received one. But so far, just 7% of that eligible group has received the updated booster.
The updated booster designed to protect against not only the original coronavirus strain but also the currently dominant Omicron subvariants, including BA.5 has been available for those age 12 and up since early September.
People who never got an original booster after completing their primary COVID-19 vaccination series are also eligible for the updated shot.
If its been more than two months since you received your last booster or your primary vaccine series, you are eligible for the new bivalent booster which is the only vaccine that offers increased protection against Omicron, Ferrer said. Having a prior infection is not a guarantee that you will not be reinfected.
Federal officials on Wednesday cleared the way for updated COVID-19 booster shots to be made available for those ages 5 to 11. L.A. County expects shots for these children will be available as soon as Wednesday.
Early data from vaccine maker Pfizer suggest that the updated shot produces a substantial increase in the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 neutralizing antibody response above pre-booster levels. Data reported Thursday by the company suggest the booster is anticipated to provide better protection against the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants than the original vaccine for younger and older adults.
Coronavirus case rates continue to fall in Los Angeles County, hitting a level not seen since mid-April. For the seven-day period that ended Thursday, the county was reporting about 950 new cases a day, or 66 new cases a week for every 100,000 residents. Thats down 20% from the prior week. A rate of 100 cases a week for every 100,000 residents is considered high; a rate between 50 and 99 is considered substantial.
However, falling case rates could be a reflection of fewer people getting tested for the coronavirus at facilities like hospitals or testing sites that send results to government agencies. In a possible sign of concern, coronavirus levels detected in L.A. County wastewater are no longer decreasing, Ferrer said, and likely what we are seeing is that viral transmission is no longer decreasing across the county.
New coronavirus-positive hospitalizations also are no longer decreasing in L.A. County. As of Thursday, there were 4.9 new weekly coronavirus-positive hospitalizations for every 100,000 residents, a rate that hasnt dropped substantially over the last three weeks.
Its not immediately clear why hospitalizations are no longer decreasing, even though the official case rate is still declining. It could be just noise in the data, Ferrer said. But another explanation could be that more people are getting infected than what is being captured in the official data, a reflection of so many people testing at home, where results arent reliably reported to health officials.
COVID-19 vaccinations have been credited with saving many lives. A report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released recently suggested that high vaccination and booster rates among seniors likely resulted in roughly 350,000 fewer deaths and roughly 675,000 fewer hospitalizations among people who have Medicare.
Still, even though the U.S. is in a COVID-19 lull, there are 300 to 400 Americans dying daily from the illness, according to CDC data. Thats equivalent to 110,000 to 150,000 deaths a year far higher than the average number of flu deaths per year, which is about 35,000.
Officials are also urging people to get their flu shots, which are recommended for everyone 6 months and older.
It is reasonable to expect were going to have a significant flu season this year, in part because weve had very little flu in the last couple of years, said Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 response coordinator, said at a briefing recently.
The CDC has changed flu shot recommendations this year and is now urging specific turbocharged flu vaccines for seniors, including higher dose and adjuvanted shots, which help create a stronger immune response. Studies suggest that for seniors 65 and older, these vaccines are potentially more effective, the CDC said.
There are three flu vaccines in these categories: the Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent, Fluad Quadrivalent and Flublok Quadrivalent.
Older people are more likely to be hospitalized and die from the flu. The reason for this is, as we age, our immune systems unfortunately decline. Its the reason that we see more disease in [the] elderly, said Dr. Sharon Balter, director of L.A. Countys acute communicable disease control program.
The CDC said seniors should get the upgraded flu vaccines if possible, but if they arent available, they should get a standard-dose flu shot instead. Balter said she would hope that seniors would be offered the upgraded flu shot at a vaccine clinic, but said its always a good idea to ask about it.
Still, UC San Francisco infectious-disease expert Dr. Peter Chin-Hong said seniors dont need to look too hard for the higher-dose flu shots if they arent easily available. Its important to get any flu shot, instead of just searching to make sure you get the right one, Chin-Hong said recently at a campus town hall.
He said the challenging flu season in the Southern Hemisphere, where winter began in June and ended in September, is reason to suspect flu could be worse here this winter.
Why is flu going to be worse this year? Lower population immunity, more people traveling, restrictions dropped, and the writing on the wall from Australia, where it came earlier. It hit harder, much higher than 2019, Chin-Hong said.
For those wondering about whether to get the flu shot and the updated COVID-19 booster at the same time, health experts say its safe.
A new study has found that the risk of myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, is seven times higher with a COVID-19 infection than with the vaccine to protect against the disease.
Myocarditis patients may experience chest pain, breathlessness, or an irregular pulse. When inflammation is extreme, it can cause heart failure and even death.
One of COVID-19s complications includes myocarditis. The mRNA COVID-19 vaccine has previously been linked to heart problems, such as myocarditis in adolescent boys, even though immunizations have been demonstrated to lessen severe COVID-19 symptoms. Large studies, however, have not adequately assessed the relative risk of myocarditis related to infections and vaccinations.
The study, which was conducted by Pennsylvania State College of Medicine and published on Aug. 29 in the journal Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, assessed and analyzed 22 global COVID-19 studies published between December 2019 and May 2022.
The studies included nearly 58 million patients with cardiac complications who belonged to one of two groups: the 2.5 million who contracted the virus compared to those who did not contract the virus, and the 55.5 million who received the COVID-19 vaccination in comparison to those who did not.
Our findings show that the risk of myocarditis from being infected by COVID-19 is far greater than from getting the vaccine, Navya Voleti, a co-author of the study said in a release.
Moving forward, it will be important to monitor the potential long-term effects in those who develop myocarditis.
The patients with COVID-19, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, were compared to those without the virus by the researchers. Regardless of immunization status, they discovered that COVID-19 patients had a 15-fold higher risk of myocarditis than people who did not catch the virus.
The rates of myocarditis in those who received the immunizations and those in unprotected persons were then independently compared by the researchers. Findings show that myocarditis rates among those who received the COVID-19 vaccine were only two times higher than those of uninfected individuals.
Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that the risk of myocarditis associated with COVID-19 was seven times greater than the risk associated with vaccinations.
The majority (61 per cent) of people who were diagnosed with myocarditis after receiving the vaccine or having COVID-19 were men, the researchers also found. In both the COVID-19 and vaccine groups, 1.07 percent of patients with myocarditis required hospitalization, and 0.01 percent died.
COVID-19 infection and the related vaccines both pose a risk for myocarditis. However, the relative risk of heart inflammation induced by COVID-19 infection is substantially greater than the risk posed by the vaccines, Paddy Ssentongo, a co-author of the study said in a release.
We hope our findings will help mitigate vaccine hesitancy and increase vaccine uptake.
COVID-19 vaccination, booster shots and prior infection all were associated with a significant reduction in the risk of infection, hospitalization and death from SARS-CoV-2, including the Omicron variant, but the protection waned over time, a recent study confirmed.
The cohort study, published in JAMA, included 10.6 million residents in North Carolina from March 2, 2020, through June 3, 2022. During that time, 2,771,364 SARS-CoV-2 infections were reported to the North Carolina COVID-19 surveillance system, with a hospitalization rate of 6.3% and a 1.4% mortality rate.
Receipt of primary COVID-19 vaccine series compared with being unvaccinated, receipt of boosters compared with primary vaccination, and prior infection compared with no prior infection were all significantly associated with lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (including Omicron) and resulting hospitalization and death, the study authors, led by Danyu Lin, PhD, of the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina, wrote. The associated protection waned over time, especially against infection.
About two-thirds of the study participants had been vaccinated by June 3. The average age was 39, 51.3% were female, 71.5% were White, 9.9% were Hispanic.
Primary vaccination with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was associated with a 54.3% estimated effectiveness against infection, 85.8% against hospitalization and 89.6% against death at seven months after the first dose. At 12 months, estimated effectiveness against infection, hospitalization and death dropped to 37.5%, 58.8% and 75.2% respectively.
For the Moderna vaccine, the estimated effectiveness at seven months after the first dose was 69.2% against infection, 89.8% against hospitalization and 93% against death, dropping to 47.2%, 64.7% and 69.6% respectively at 12 months.
For the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the estimated effectiveness at seven months was 60.2% against infection, 69.7% against hospitalization and 76.7% against death, dropping to 50.7%, 56.3% and 73.6% respectively at 12 months.
The immunity conferred by boosters against infection waned rapidly after 4-6 months, Lin told Contagion. The immunity conferred by infection with the Omicron variant against reinfection with omicron also waned faster than expected.
After boosters, estimated effectiveness peaked at around two to four weeks before declining.
For Pfizer/BioNTech boosters taken in December 2021, estimated effectiveness was 61.2% after one month, dropping 16.2% after three months. For Moderna boosters following Pfizer primary series, estimated effectiveness was 68.4% at one month, dropping to 40.5% at three months. For Moderna boosters following Moderna primary series, those numbers were 62.1% and 14.7%. For Pfizer boosters following Moderna primary series, they were 66.1% and 27%
Vaccination and boosting are beneficial, especially against hospitalization and death, Lin said.
Prior infection was associated with an 86.5% estimated effectiveness against reinfection, 96.2% against hospitalization and 94.5% agasint death after four months, dropping to 75.8%, 95.2% and 94.4% after eight months and 62.2%, 91% and 89.5% after 12 months.
This study reinforced the growing complexities of COVID-19 and the strengths and limitations of routine surveillance systems, Mark Tenforde, MD, PhD; Ruth Link-Gelles, PhD; and Manish Patel, MD, with the CDC COVID-19 Response Team, wrote in an editorial comment. State-based surveillance systems have large sample sizes that allow detection of uncommon events and multiple subgroup analyses. However, they often lack granular details on underlying medical conditions or other factors that allow for better control of confounding or effect modification.
They noted that emerging variants, including Omicron were associated with lower effectiveness against infection, but pointed out that even modest protection may reduce surges and the consequences of them.
Next steps include research to determine the effectiveness of second boosters, effectiveness of bivalent boosters and effectiveness of vaccines in children younger than 5 years.
Did a recent study show that women are harming their babies by breastfeeding after getting mRNA COVID-19 vaccines?
Thats what a claim circulating on Instagram and Facebook feeds suggested.
"7 out of 11 women had mRNA in their breast milk," read an image of a tweet shared on Instagram. "This isnt just a disaster for infants, its more proof that mRNA/LNP in the shots hits practically every cell in the body."
The tweet was written by Alex Berenson, a former New York Times reporter who has shared misleading claims about COVID-19 vaccines. It included a retweet from the Twitter account for the medical journal JAMA promoting the Sept. 22 publication of a study that examined the presence of trace amounts of mRNA vaccines in lactating womens breast milk.
Contrary to Berensons assertion, however, the study did not suggest this amounts to disastrous news for infants. It said results suggested breastfeeding post-vaccination is safe and that more research is needed.
The post was flagged as part of Instagrams efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)
The study, conducted by researchers from New York Universitys Long Island School of Medicine, involved the collection of breast milk samples from 11 women whod received Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines within 6 months after childbirth. The participants were asked to collect samples before being vaccinated and for five days after being vaccinated.
"Of 11 lactating individuals enrolled, trace amounts of BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 COVID-19 mRNA vaccines were detected in seven samples from five different participants at various times up to 45 hours post-vaccination," part of the studys results read.
This discovery did not raise alarms for the researchers.
"The sporadic presence and trace quantities of COVID-19 vaccine mRNA detected in EBM (evidence-based medicine) suggest that breastfeeding after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination is safe, particularly beyond 48 hours after vaccination," they said.
The researchers did not test the cumulative effects of that exposure to trace mRNA on the infants and wrote that more research is needed. They also wrote that "caution is warranted about breastfeeding children younger than 6 months in the first 48 hours after maternal vaccination until more safety studies are conducted."
COVID-19 vaccines are not currently recommended for infants younger than 6 months old. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine recommend that "everyone should receive the COVID-19 vaccine, including those who are pregnant or breastfeeding."
Dr. Nazeeh Hanna, the studys lead author and chief of NYU Langone Hospital-Long Islands neonatology unit told PolitiFact that although much of the data is still lacking, theres no evidence to suggest that any amount of either vaccine is harmful to infants who are breastfeeding.
BeyondmRNA vaccines, the FDA has authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccines that do not rely on mRNA technology. These include the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine and the Novavax vaccine.
Our ruling
An Instagram post suggested that a new study from JAMA showed that traces of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines found in breast milk for seven of 11 mothers are harmful for nursing newborns.
A study involving 11 lactating mothers who had been vaccinated found that samples from five of them contained trace amounts of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines up to 48 hours after vaccination. But researchers said the findings suggested vaccination was safe. They said that until further study is done, women should use caution when breastfeeding infants younger than 6 months in the 48 hours after getting vaccinated.
We rate this claim Mostly False.
October 12, 2022
Media Contact:
Chase Cook, Acting Director of Communications, 410-767-8649
Maryland Primary Care Vaccine Program surpasses 500,000 COVID shots administered
COVID-19 primary vaccines and booster shots now available at more than 500 adult and family primary care practices across Maryland
Baltimore, MD More than 500,000 Marylanders have received their COVID-19 primary vaccines and booster shots from their family doctors via the Maryland Department of Healths (MDH) Maryland Primary Care Programs (MDPCP) Vaccine Program. The MDPCP, which was launched in March, 2019, is engaged with more than 500 primary care practices across the state to encourage the more than four million Marylanders they serve to be COVIDReady by staying up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines and boosters.
The MDPCP is ensuring Marylanders have easy access to COVID-19 vaccines when at their trusted doctors office during visits for other health services, like their annual flu shot.
Clinical providers statewide continue to play a critical role in helping keep Marylanders COVIDReady by protecting them against severe illness and hospitalization with COVID-19 vaccines, including the new bivalent booster shots, said Dr. Howard Haft, Senior Medical Advisor of the MDPCP. MDH has worked closely with our invaluable health care providers statewide to facilitate convenient and equitable access to life-saving COVID shots. Talk with your provider today to make sure you and your family are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines.
COVID-19 bivalent boosters are available to Marylanders age 12 and above who have received their last primary COVID vaccine or booster at least two months ago. The bivalent booster has been modified to help protect against both original COVID-19 and its Omicron variants.
The Are You Up-To-Date? portal allows you to check your vaccination status within seconds. Find a vaccination clinic near you.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the MDPCP has supported primary care practices in their response efforts by providing access to essential resources, such as free personal protective equipment and point-of-care rapid tests. The MDPCP was established in 2019 to support advanced primary care delivery, improve health outcomes and control total healthcare spending growth, and includes more than 500 practices statewide serving more than four million Marylanders.
For more information about COVID-19 in Maryland, visit covidLINK.maryland.gov. For the most recent Maryland COVID-19 data, visit coronavirus.maryland.gov.
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The Maryland Department of Health is dedicated to protecting and improving the health and safety of all Marylanders through disease prevention, access to care, quality management and community engagement.
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