Ga., S.C. following federal guidance on COVID booster shots
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Public health officials in Georgia and South Carolina on Friday both acknowledged the new federal guidance on COVID-19 booster vaccinations for high-risk populations.
The moves come as both states cope with an ongoing surge of COVID cases driven by the super-contagious delta variant of coronavirus.
South Carolina appears to be feeling to problem worse than Georgia right now.
On Friday, the South Carolina Department for Health and Environmental Control reported 3,491 total new cases of COVID-19 (2,602 confirmed, 889 probable) along with 124 deaths (111 confirmed, 13 probable). The agency reported a total of 12,080 COVID-19 related deaths, since the start of the pandemic.
Georgia, with more than twice South Carolina’s population, reported 3,236 new cases on Friday and 126 deaths.
Health officials continue to say vaccination is the path out of the pandemic.
Toward that end, the Georgia Department of Public Health said Friday it will follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance for booster shots.
Recommendations for COVID vaccine booster shots include:
- 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 age 50 to 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 age 18 to 49 years with underlying medical conditions may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks
- People age 18 to 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 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks.
Only the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine has been authorized as a booster dose, and the above recommendations will only apply to individuals who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for their primary series.
The agency said it has adequate inventory of the Pfizer vaccine and will work to ensure accessibility to booster doses statewide.
In South Carolina, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control said it s the CDC recommendation.
“This is an important step in our continued efforts to keep our families and friends safe by decreasing the number of severe COVID-19 cases,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC public health director.
She said the state’s health leaders urge eligible people to get a booster dose as soon as they reach the six-month mark.
Also in the news ...
GETTING A BOOSTER: Augusta University Health has scheduled COVID vaccination clinics daily next week at its Washington Square site, 2834 Washington Road. The clinics will be from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and offering booster doses for those who qualify. Appointments are available at https://www.augustahealth.org/vaccine.
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