Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

COVID-19 vaccine booster doses now available to at-risk individuals 

Galveston County Health District and Coastal Health & Wellness have administered more than 11,477 COVID-19 vaccine doses since opening a booster and vaccine clinic on Aug. 18.

The clinic is open to first, second and booster doses for those who qualify, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. with extended hours until 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends the Pfizer BioNTech booster dose at least six months after the primary series for people who are 65 and older, residents 18 and older in long-term care facilities and people 50-64 with underlying health conditions.

People in the following groups may receive a booster shot of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their Pfizer BioNTech primary series:

• people ages 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions, based on their individual benefits and risks
• people ages 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting, based on their individual benefits and risks

Occupations at an increased risk include first responders, health care workers, teachers and support staff, daycare and grocery store workers.

As of Oct. 11, 183,971 Galveston County residents (63.9 percent) are fully vaccinated while 202,494 have received at least one vaccine dose. Also, 20,065 residents have received an additional vaccine dose.

GCHD and CHW's clinic is located at 9850 Emmett F. Lowry Expy. in Texas City. For clinic hours and to make an appointment, visit us online. You can also call us at 409.938.7221, option 1 for assistance.

COVID-19 cases on trend down after surge

COVID-19 cases in Galveston County are on the downward trend after reaching record-high levels in August.

The number of new cases, hospitalizations and weekly positivity rates have steadily decreased over the past month with active cases now below 2,500 - for the first time since the end of July.

Last week, 289 COVID-19 positive tests were collected, down significantly from the 1,970 collected just two weeks ago. Hospitalizations have been below 100 since Sept. 25 and the weekly positivity rate continues to drop and is now below 10 percent.

For more information on COVID-19 cases, see our daily case updates or view our COVID-19 dashboard.

The Joint Commission gives CHW Gold Seal

Following a hugely successful survey by The Joint Commission (TJC) earlier this month, Coastal Health & Wellness has earned TJC's Gold Seal of Approval® for Ambulatory Health Care Accreditation and Primary Care Medical Home. The Gold Seal of Approval® is a symbol of quality that reflects CHW’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care. CHW underwent an unannounced, comprehensive two-day onsite survey for its Texas City and Galveston clinic locations. During the review, compliance related to a variety of areas including coordination of care, infection prevention and control, management of medications and patient education and training were evaluated. TJC survey serves as an independent audit of CHW’s commitment to continuous quality improvement.  Established in 1975, The Joint Commission’s Ambulatory Health Care Accreditation Program encourages high-quality patient care in all types of freestanding ambulatory care facilities. For more information, please see our news release.

Congratulations, Ami, on being named a Women in Leadership Awards finalist

Congratulations to our Chief Nursing Officer Ami Cotharn, MSN, RN on being named a Women in Leadership Awards Finalist by the Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce.  Thank you, Ami, for your tireless dedication to keep residents healthy and safe, and for your leadership in the fight against COVID-19. We are honored and proud to have you on our team.

Meet Booker Hankerson, GAAA Employee of the Month

Now is time to get your flu vaccine

Getting vaccinated against the flu will again be incredibly important this year as we continue to fight COVID-19.

The flu vaccine is the best way to prevent becoming sick with the seasonal illness, and now is the time to get vaccinated. Flu outbreaks can start as early as October, and it's important to get the flu vaccine before the virus begins spreading in the community. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body.

Children who need two doses of vaccine to protect against the flu should start the process soon since the two doses must be given at least four weeks apart. People 6 months and older should be vaccinated against the flu. Vaccination is especially important in high-risk groups including those ages 65 and older, pregnant women, young children and those with chronic health conditions who are at higher risk for complications or even death if they get the flu.

Being a woman, getting older top two risk factors for developing breast cancer

On average, every two minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States.

This year alone, an estimated 281,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women and 2,630 in men.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we're encouraging women and men to practice early detection and treatment.

Breast cancer is sometimes found after symptoms appear, but many women have no symptoms. That's why regular breast cancer screenings are incredibly important.

There is no sure way to prevent breast cancer, but there are things you can do that might lower your risk. Learn more about breast cancer, risk factors and how to lower your risk.

HEAL Cooking Corner: Southwest-Style Turkey Meatloaf

A nice way to add whole grains into protein dishes—such as meatloaf, hamburgers and meatballs—is to use quick-cooking oats instead of regular bread crumbs. The fiber in the oats has been shown to help lower cholesterol.

Stay away from sticky candy this Halloween

WIC offers services for kids 5, younger

• Connect with other moms and families
• Learn more about breastfeeding from experts
• Find healthier ways to shop for groceries
• Get one-on-one nutrition counseling
• Take online classes on cooking and children's activities
• And, receive food benefits for qualified participants