DHS Encourages Wisconsinites to Make a Plan to Get Boosted Against COVID-19 this Fall
People 12 and older are now eligible for updated COVID-19 boosters that target the original virus and newest Omicron subvariants
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is urging Wisconsinites to make a plan to get boosted against COVID-19. People 12 and older are now eligible to receive updated COVID-19 boosters (also known as bivalent boosters). Doses of the updated COVID-19 boosters have started arriving in Wisconsin and will continue to be delivered to providers over the next several weeks. Pharmacies, health centers, and clinics are expected to make appointments available as their booster doses arrive.
“As we head into the fall and winter respiratory virus season, we encourage all Wisconsinites to make a plan to boost their protection against COVID-19,” said DHS Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake. “Everyone 12 and older is eligible for the added protection of the updated boosters. This is especially important for people 50 and older and those who are immunocompromised.”
The updated boosters have been authorized(link is external) by the FDA and recommended(link is external) by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and are the first Omicron-specific vaccines to be made available in the United States. They target the original strain of COVID-19, as well as the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants. The highly contagious BA.5 Omicron subvariant is the dominant strain of COVID-19, making up about 90% of cases nationally.
The updated boosters are recommended as a single (1) dose for people 12 and older who have received their primary COVID-19 vaccine series and have not received a COVID-19 vaccine dose in the last two months. People 12 and older are eligible to receive the updated Pfizer COVID-19 booster, and those 18 and older are eligible to receive the updated Moderna COVID-19 booster. In these age groups, these boosters replace the original boosters. The Pfizer and Moderna updated boosters can be administered after any primary series, including Pfizer, Moderna, J&J, or Novavax.
Children ages 5-11 continue to be eligible for the original COVID-19 booster, which provides protection against the original strain of COVID-19. It is anticipated that this age group will be eligible for updated boosters in the coming months.
Everyone 6 months and older is recommended to get vaccinated to protect against COVID-19. If you have not yet received your primary series of COVID-19 vaccines, it is never too late to get vaccinated.
“Getting vaccinated and staying up to date on COVID-19 boosters remains the best way to protect against severe illness from COVID-19,” said Stephanie Schauer, Ph.D., DHS Division of Public Health Immunization Program Manager. “COVID-19 vaccines continue to show that they are effective at reducing severe symptoms that can result in hospitalization and death. The updated boosters can help restore protection that has waned since previous vaccination or infection, and provide broader protection against newer variants.”
People can safely get their COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines at the same time, including the annual flu vaccine.
COVID-19 vaccines remain available to all Wisconsinites at no cost regardless of immigration or health insurance status. Anyone can schedule an appointment for the vaccine using a variety of options, including with their health care provider, at community-based vaccination clinics, local and tribal health departments, or pharmacies. Vaccination sites across Wisconsin may choose to provide vaccines to specific age groups. People are encouraged to check with their local health clinics or visit vaccines.gov(link is external) to find vaccination sites for specific age groups.
For free, confidential support finding health care and community resources near you, dial 211. For information, resources, and data related to Wisconsin’s COVID-19 vaccination program, visit the COVID-19 vaccine webpage. We encourage you to follow @DHSWI on Facebook(link is external), Twitter(link is external), or dhs.wi on Instagram(link is external) for more information about COVID-19.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Coronavirus Pandemic
- Governors Tony Evers, JB Pritzker, Tim Walz, and Gretchen Whitmer Issue a Joint Statement Concerning Reports that Donald Trump Gave Russian Dictator Putin American COVID-19 Supplies - Gov. Tony Evers - Oct 11th, 2024
- MHD Release: Milwaukee Health Department Launches COVID-19 Wastewater Testing Dashboard - City of Milwaukee Health Department - Jan 23rd, 2024
- Milwaukee County Announces New Policies Related to COVID-19 Pandemic - County Executive David Crowley - May 9th, 2023
- DHS Details End of Emergency COVID-19 Response - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Apr 26th, 2023
- Milwaukee Health Department Announces Upcoming Changes to COVID-19 Services - City of Milwaukee Health Department - Mar 17th, 2023
- Fitzgerald Applauds Passage of COVID-19 Origin Act - U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald - Mar 10th, 2023
- DHS Expands Free COVID-19 Testing Program - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Feb 10th, 2023
- MKE County: COVID-19 Hospitalizations Rising - Graham Kilmer - Jan 16th, 2023
- Not Enough Getting Bivalent Booster Shots, State Health Officials Warn - Gaby Vinick - Dec 26th, 2022
- Nearly All Wisconsinites Age 6 Months and Older Now Eligible for Updated COVID-19 Vaccine - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Dec 15th, 2022
Read more about Coronavirus Pandemic here
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by Wisconsin Department of Health Services
DHS Encourages Wisconsinites to Take Action to Prevent Childhood Lead Poisoning
Oct 21st, 2024 by Wisconsin Department of Health ServicesOctober 20-26 marks National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week
New CDC Report Shows Wisconsin Families Behind Other States in Protecting Children from Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
Oct 17th, 2024 by Wisconsin Department of Health ServicesDeclining vaccination rates leave children and communities vulnerable to outbreaks
DHS Urges Wisconsinites to Protect Themselves from Mosquito Bites
Sep 27th, 2024 by Wisconsin Department of Health ServicesPrecautions recommended after two horses in the state infected with Eastern equine encephalitis