As COVID-19 cases rise in the Fox Cities, here's where to get your updated booster shot

Rebecca Loroff, Appleton Post-Crescent
·3 min read
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COVID-19 hospitalizations are on the rise in the Fox Cities, though they are still overall lower than they were last winter.

As of Sept. 2, the seven-day average of COVID-19 hospitalizations was 13 patients, up from 9 on Aug. 2, according to data from the state Department of Health Services. In contrast, 41 patients, including 7 on ventilators, were recorded at the beginning of 2023.

An updated vaccine is expected to be announced soon that could offer more protection against current omicron variants of the virus. It's expected to be available in September.

The shot is free; you don't need insurance or a Social Security number in order to get one.

Here's more information on COVID testing and vaccination.

Who should get the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters?

Everyone aged 6 years and older should receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of whether they received an original shot, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Experts say people at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19, such as the elderly and the severely immunocompromised, should consider getting a booster of the vaccine now and not waiting, if it has been a long time since they have gotten a booster shot or have never gotten a booster.

For others, experts recommend waiting until the new COVID-19 booster is available this month or early October. The booster is designed to protect against new strains of the virus.

Public health nurse Jess Moyle administers the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to firefighter Bryce Sternhagen on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, at City Hall in downtown Appleton, Wis.
Public health nurse Jess Moyle administers the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to firefighter Bryce Sternhagen on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, at City Hall in downtown Appleton, Wis.

Where can I get a COVID-19 vaccine in the Fox Cities?

Appleton

Chilton

Kaukauna and Little Chute

Menasha and Neenah

Where else can I get a COVID-19 vaccine?

For more COVID-19 vaccination locations, visit vaccines.gov, and enter your zip code to find nearby vaccine locations.

Where can I get tested for COVID-19?

Walgreens locations in the Fox Cities offers on-site testing. Since the COVID-19 public health emergency ended May 11, insurance coverage of COVID tests may have changed for some plans, though uninsured patients may still qualify for a free test.

For more COVID-19 testing locations, visit testinglocator.cdc.gov.

McLellan Lab Manager & Research Specialist Melissa Schussman performs droplet digital PCR on samples at UW-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences as part of a statewide effort to use wastewater to track diseases like COVID, the flu, RSV and others in the population.
McLellan Lab Manager & Research Specialist Melissa Schussman performs droplet digital PCR on samples at UW-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences as part of a statewide effort to use wastewater to track diseases like COVID, the flu, RSV and others in the population.

Where can I get at-home tests?

Though the government is no longer providing free at-home tests, people can buy tests online or at pharmacies and other local retailers, including Amazon, CVS, Target, Walgreens and Walmart. Tests usually cost under $25 per box.

The Food and Drug Administration has extended the expiration dates of various at-home COVID-19 tests by months and even years. The extended expiration dates by type of test and brand can be found on the FDA's website.

Contributing: Claire Reid.

Rebecca Loroff is a breaking and trending news reporter for northeastern Wisconsin. Contact her with story tips and feedback at rloroff@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Here's when and where to get updated COVID-19 shots in Appleton, Fox Cities