On Wednesday, August 31, 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized new bivalent booster doses for both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, bivalent (original and omicron ba.4/ba.5) booster dose is authorized for 12 years of age and older. The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, bivalent (original and omicron AB.4/BA.5) booster dose is authorized for 18 years and older. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to recommend them on Thursday, September 1, 2022. 

The recommendation is for one bivalent booster dose to be given at least 2 months after completing the primary series or any previous booster. Either bivalent booster can be used interchangeably. 

For details on CDC’s recommendations and FDA’s authorization, refer to the following media statements: CDC Recommends the First Updated COVID-19 Booster  and Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccines for Use as a Booster Dose. 

Join the weekly webinar tomorrow from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.to hear updates from the MDH team on vaccines and boosters and ask questions to the team. If you have any questions about your registration, please email elizabeth.dressel@state.mn.us 

COVID-19 therapeutics, medicine for people who test positive for COVID-19, are a key component of preventing severe disease when people get COVID-19. A common misconception is that COVID-19 therapeutics are only for residents who are really sick (i.e., have more than mild symptoms). People that meet the following criteria are eligible for therapeutics: 

• Tests positive for COVID-19​ 
• Within 5-7 days of symptom onset​ 
• Has at least one symptom consistent with mild to moderate COVID-19 ​ 
• At risk of severe illness from COVID-19​. Can be increased risk related to work or living setting COVID-19 exposure risk.  

Patients with mild illness are eligible. If in doubt, ask a healthcare provider! 

Printable fact sheets on COVID-19 Therapeutics: 

• https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/medstx.pdf 
• https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/medsantiviral.pdf 

If you have questions on therapeutics, you can reach out to Health.R-Congregate@state.mn.us. 

In 2021, the Minnesota legislature created a Task Force on Shelter. The legislature asked the group to develop recommendations for standards for shelters and to explore state oversight of shelters. 

The Task Force has drafted recommended shelter standards and is working on recommendations about shelter oversight. Members are seeking feedback from the public and many stakeholders and partners to make improvements to the recommendations before submitting to the Legislature. Please add your voice to this important work! 

The Task Force is seeking your feedback on two things:  

• Standards for shelter: The Task Force has drafted 12 categories of standards for shelters in Minnesota. “Standards” means rules and guidelines for how shelters should work. The intention for developing standards is to ensure everyone using shelter has a good, safe experience. 
• Oversight of shelter: The Task Force is also seeking your ideas on shelter oversight. Who has the oversight and how should it be done? 

Visit the Task Force on Shelter website to see the variety of ways to provide your feedback on the draft recommendations. The Task Force is holding online, facilitated conversation in the next few weeks. Check out these opportunities:  

• Online, facilitated conversations with the general public (All the zoom links can be found on the Task Force on Shelter website.): Saturday, September 10, from 9:00-10:30 a.m.

• Online, facilitated conversations with shelter staff and volunteers (All zoom links can be found on the Task Force on Shelter website.): Thursday, Septemer 8 from 10:00-11:30 a.m., Monday September 12 from 2:30-4:00 p.m., and Tuesday, September 20, from 10:30 am-12:00 p.m.