Despite federal health experts’ recommendations to limit doses to those considered most at risk, California is one of three states in the United States that now allows all adults to receive coronavirus booster vaccinations.
Virus Boosters Are Now Available In California, Colorado & New Mexico
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Colorado and New Mexico have some of the highest rates of new infections in the country. In contrast, California, which had the lowest rate earlier this fall, has now joined them in the “high” tier for transmission. These are the areas that have most patients infected with this virus and also the highest cases coming up in this season of flu compared to their neighboring states and other areas.
“COVID-19 is incredibly opportunistic and it’s our job to ensure that the virus has fewer and fewer opportunities to spread,” Scrase said. “If it’s time for you to get a booster, please do so right away.”
The administration of President Joe Biden had sought clearance for boosters for all adults. But experts to the US Food and Drug Administration ruled in September that it isn’t apparent that young, healthy people require another dose. Rather they advised boosters solely for those over 65 and younger people with certain underlying health concerns or who work in areas where the virus is a significant danger.
Tomás Aragón, the state’s public health officer, wrote to local health officials and providers in California, urging them to “enable patients to self-determine their risk of exposure.”
If a patient is 18 or older and has had their second Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or two months since their single Johnson & Johnson shot, he added, “Do not send anyone away who is requesting a booster.”
Due to diminishing immunity from the earlier doses, he instructed pharmacies to provide boosters to patients in a skilled nursing or assisted living homes first. However, if they visit a drug shop hospital or medical office, caregivers “should not miss any opportunity” to deliver immunizations to the unvaccinated or boosters to everyone else.
Gov. Jared Polis issued an executive order on Thursday to extend the use of booster shots in Colorado, where some hospitals are overburdened. He issued a grim warning the next day for the roughly 20% of eligible persons in his state who have yet to receive a single treatment.
“We wouldn’t even be here talking about this if everyone was vaccinated,” the Democratic governor said at a news conference. “If you are not vaccinated, you’re going to get COVID. Maybe this year, maybe next year.”
Officials in Colorado, California, and New Mexico said they have enough vaccines to administer first and booster shots to everyone who needs them.
The Biden administration continues to advise health leaders across the country “to follow by public health standards coming from the federal government,” according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
“We know that several Californians work in crowded public settings,” Ghaly said. “Because of your work-related risk or even you live with people who have underlying conditions are at higher risk themselves, or you’re a member of a community that’s been ravished and hard-hit by COVID … it’s permissive by the CDC and the FDA to go ahead and get the booster.”
The extremely contagious delta form, which produced a summer increase, is still circulating, according to Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, which is concerning as winter approaches.
The delta variant is “really good at finding people, including people who got vaccinated at the beginning of the year and now that vaccination is wearing off a little bit,” she said. “Delta is a powerful force and everybody needs that third dose.”
