For the second week in a row, Berkshire County’s reported COVID infections and hospitalizations remain at the Low/Green level according to the CDC rubric. We do see, however, a small uptick in cases in South County. Most of this can be attributed to congregate care settings, where residents tend to be particularly vulnerable to severe disease, so this is something to keep an eye on.
As we watch the highly infectious, but still fairly mild BA.4/5 Omicron subvariants gain ground in the Northeast and around the country, it’s a good reminder that at some point in late summer or early fall, a meaningful uptick in cases is likely to begin once again. For many of us this will not be a major concern, but for our older loved ones and neighbors, and for our healthcare system, the impact could be significant.
Local public health nurses continue to receive questions about vaccine boosters, especially the second booster, which offers a strong, though fairly brief, amount of protection against Omicron infection. For many folks, it may be wise to time one’s shot judiciously—a couple weeks before a major trip or event, perhaps. Or just as local cases begin to tick up again. If you have recently been infected with COVID, it also may be worth waiting 2-3 months to get the second booster, since your immune system has just received a natural “boost” by responding to the actual virus. Unfortunately, we do not yet have the data to tell us how many have received their second booster locally, but across the U.S. just 33% of seniors 65 and older have received it so far. Folks in that age group are especially encouraged to get this shot.
As we can see in this week’s center graph (see below), only 50% of southern Berkshire residents have received a COVID booster to date. Fortunately, this includes 70-80% of seniors, but far fewer young people in their teens and twenties. The 5-11yo group was recently approved for a booster; to receive it, they must have had their second shot at least 5 months ago.
As more data rolls in, it has become clear that the first booster shot really is needed to achieve meaningful protection against infection by COVID’s latest Omicron variant family; without this later “boost” to the immune system, vaccinated people are nearly as likely to be infected as the unvaccinated. Vaccinated folks do remain much more protected against severe symptoms when they are infected for the first time. However, for seniors the primary vaccine series’ protection against severe outcomes is not as strong. Make sure to get that booster!
Many pediatrician’s offices, the Fairview/BHS vaccine clinics, and the CHP mobile health unit are currently providing the primary vaccine series and boosters. Children ages 6 months to 4 years were recently approved to start receiving the Pfizer vaccine (a 3-shot series), which is very exciting for many parents, especially those dependent on daycare. However, it may take a short time before our local vaccine providers are ready to administer these shots.
If you have difficulty getting your vaccine or booster for whatever reason, consider the state home vaccination program, which seems to be operating very efficiently. Registering for an appointment online is quick, and they guarantee to come out within 1 week to administer the shot—for free. There is no requirement that you are homebound, just that you have difficulty accessing a vaccine provider, which could be for a variety of reasons, which they do not ask you to specify. This program currently provides shots to children ages 5 and up, too, so the whole family could get their booster at the same time. To learn more, call (833) 983-0485 Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. or use the online scheduler.
