Hi there,
Happy Fall! I hope everyone is enjoying these wonderful temperatures and the traditions that Fall brings you and your families. Enjoy the activities, just take extra precautions to protect yourself and those around you. Even if you have been vaccinated, wear a face mask, keep at least six feet from other people, wash those hands and use hand sanitizer.
If you haven’t yet been vaccinated, do it now. Yes, we are hearing a lot about booster shots, but our most important focus remains getting unvaccinated people their first dose. This is especially important for high-risk populations, such as pregnant people. CDC recently issued a national health advisory about vaccination among people who are pregnant, recently pregnant (including those who are breastfeeding), and who may become pregnant. More info about that is below.
Yesterday we featured a video on our social media channels to introduce you to some of our epidemiologists who work tirelessly behind the scenes to give us an update. Here they talk to us about COVID-19 in school settings, check it out:
During the entire month of October, we have numerous vaccination opportunities across the county where anyone eligible can receive a first, second, third (immunocompromised) or booster dose. We have a chart on our eligibility page that breaks it all down by vaccine manufacture and dose type. Check it out. It can help you navigate all the information!
At least 73.9% of those 12 years and older have received at least their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Visit the state’s COVID-19 vaccine dashboard and the Oakland County Vaccine Hub for even more vaccination data.
In good health,
Leigh-Anne Stafford
Director, Health and Human Services
National health advisory urges vaccination of pregnant people
CDC has issued a Health Advisory urgently recommending COVID-19 vaccination for people who are pregnant, recently pregnant (including those who are breastfeeding), or who may become pregnant in the near future to prevent serious illness, deaths, and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
According to a study published this month in JAMA Network Open, those pregnant with COVID-19 are 15 times more likely to die, 14 times more likely to need to be intubated, and 22 times more likely to have pre-term birth than those who are uninfected.
Despite the known risks of COVID-19, as of Oct. 2, 2021 only 33.1% of pregnant people in the U.S. were fully vaccinated before or during their pregnancy. The low numbers of pregnant people who are vaccinated, along with the highly contagious Delta variant, are causing some pregnant people to get extremely sick and hospitalized. Preterm births, infant intensive care unit (ICU) stays, and stillbirth has also been reported.
Vaccination is recommended either before or during pregnancy because the benefits for both pregnant persons and their unborn babies or infants outweigh the risks.
FDA addresses vaccines for age 5-11 and Moderna/Johnson & Johnson boosters
On Oct. 1, the FDA announced two upcoming meetings of its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) to discuss new data for COVID-19 vaccines.
On Oct. 14 and 15, the advisory committee will meet to discuss the use of booster doses of the Moderna and the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Both vaccines are currently authorized for emergency use to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older.
The FDA received a request from Pfizer to amend its emergency use authorization to allow the use of its COVID-19 vaccine in children 5 through 11 years of age. The FDA is scheduling an advisory committee meeting on Oct. 26 to discuss the Pfizer request.
Read here to learn more about the emergency use authorization process.
Week at a Glance-Health Division upcoming vaccination sites
These locations will offer COVID-19 vaccinations next week for age 12+. Pfizer booster doses only available for those eligible. Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. Visit our Get Vaccinated page for details. You can also call 800-848-5533, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for assistance.
Holly
- Karl Richter Community Center
- Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2-6 p.m.
Novi
- Novi Fire Station #4
- Friday, Oct. 15, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Pontiac
- Oakland County Service Center Campus
- Tuesday, Oct. 12, 9 a.m.-noon
- Thursday, Oct. 14, 1-4 p.m.
- Welcome Missionary Baptist Church
- Every Tuesday, 8 a.m.-noon
- Trinity Missionary Baptist Church
- Every Tuesday, noon-4 p.m.
Rochester
- Rochester Fire Station (downtown)
- Wednesday, Oct. 13, 9 a.m.-noon
Southfield
- Southfield Pavilion
- Saturday, Oct. 9, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Walled Lake
- Walled Lake Central High School View Fest 2021
- Saturday, Oct. 9, noon-4 p.m.
OaklandCountyVaccine.com is the best place to receive the latest information.
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