Reid Health stops COVID-19 booster vaccinations until it receives new vaccines

Mike Emery, Richmond Palladium-Item
·2 min read
5
Shots of Pfizer-BioNTech’s new COVID-19 booster, which updates the original vaccine to also target the BA.4 and BA.5 variants.
Shots of Pfizer-BioNTech’s new COVID-19 booster, which updates the original vaccine to also target the BA.4 and BA.5 variants.

RICHMOND, Ind. — Reid Health has suspended COVID-19 booster vaccinations at the state health department's direction.

The health system is waiting to receive newly approved vaccine versions that are formulated to better protect recipients from the latest omicron variant strains, according to a news release. Both Pfizer and Moderna have updated vaccines that are now the only vaccines federally approved for use as booster shots.

The pediatric Pfizer vaccine version can still be administered to ages 6 months through 11 years, and the original vaccines can be administered to anyone 12 and older who has not yet received primary vaccine doses.

Reid will resume booster shots for those 12 and older once it secures the new vaccine from Pfizer and Moderna.

The pause comes as COVID-19 continues to spread through the community. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists Wayne County at the medium community level.

The Indiana State Department of Health's Friday day-by-day case update shows 929 laboratory-confirmed cases during August with the month's final six days considered preliminary. Another 25 cases assigned to those days would match July's case total of 954.

There were 262 cases reported from Aug. 15 to 21, the last full week with final numbers. The preliminary total for Aug. 22 to 28 is already 232 cases with three days' totals still considered preliminary. Each of those days has reported 20 cases.

It's accepted that the number of county cases is higher than the state's total because of increased home testing. Those testing positive at home are not required to report their positive results to county or state health officials.

Overall, Wayne County has had 21,556 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to state statistics, and 341 deaths from COVID complications. There have been five COVID deaths reported during August. The most recent two deaths were women in their 70s who died Aug. 22 and Aug. 26.

This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Reid Health stops COVID-19 booster vaccinations, waits on new vaccines