In response to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommendations released this week regarding the COVID-19 Moderna and Johnson & Johnson booster shot, Chaffee County Public Health (CCPH) is planning mass vaccination clinics specifically to administer the booster dose for those who are eligible at the time.
The mass booster clinics will be at the Chaffee County Fairgrounds, 10165 County Road 120 by appointment only.
Booster clinic dates hosted by CCPH will be:
12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 9
12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 10
The public is asked to come at their assigned time to mitigate traffic concerns. There is no reason to arrive early, as there is an ample vaccine supply, very different from the early days of the vaccine rollout. The booster is free, although it is highly encouraged to fill out the paperwork ahead of time. These clinics are intended and prioritized for Chaffee County residents as well as residents from surrounding counties.
Tanya Wait, Chaffee County Public Health nurse stands ready to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations in the brand new health trailer May 27 in Salida’s Riverside Park. Merrell Bergin photo
“CCPH and our local healthcare providers have done everything possible to protect our beloved county from the impacts of COVID-19 over the past 20 months through testing, isolation and quarantine, and vaccinations. It is really in the hands of our community members to do the right thing to prevent the continued spread of this deadly virus that has taken its toll on our nation’s healthcare system while taking the lives of almost 750,000 people since last spring,” said CCPH Director Andrea Carlstrom.
Clinic appointment links will go live on Monday, October 25, and will be posted at www.chaffeecounty.rsvpify.com. Anyone who needs assistance with making an appointment through the scheduler can call CCPH’s main office at 719-539-4510 or seek help from a community service provider, family member, or friend after the weekend. The public is urged not to call the CCPH office over the weekend but rather to wait until the beginning of the week.
Currently, the following populations below are approved for the Moderna booster shot at 6 months or more after their initial series:
- 65 years and older
- Age 18+ who live in long-term care settings
- Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions
- Age 18+ who work or live in high-risk settings
For the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, booster shots are also recommended for those who are 18 and older and who were vaccinated two or more months ago.
Individuals do not need to present an ID, insurance, or proof of medical history to receive a booster. Boosters are still free, and people do not need to be a resident of Colorado, or of a particular county, to receive a booster.
The Definition of “Fully Vaccinated”
Currently, the definition of “fully vaccinated” does not change with this booster dose authorization. People are still considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two weeks after their single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. This definition applies to all people, including individuals who are moderately to severely immunocompromised who receive an additional dose at least 28 days after completing their initial primary series.
The medical conditions included in the booster rollout can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html.
All three vaccines are still providing significant protection and immunity from COVID-19. Those who have been fully vaccinated are 3.3 times less likely to become a COVID-19 case, 5.2 times less likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19, and 3.7 times less likely to die from COVID-19.
“As of today, 74.7 percent of our county’s eligible population has received its first dose of vaccine, and 69.9 percent is fully vaccinated,” noted Carlstrom. “The COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective with almost everyone vaccinated avoiding severe illness, hospitalization, and death. While boosters are important to protect our highest-risk populations, we must continue to increase vaccination rates of first and second doses at the same time, especially now that our 5 to 11-year-old children will be eligible very soon. Let’s all do what we can now to ensure a safe, healthy, and ‘normal’ upcoming holiday season!”
There are now multiple providers of vaccines and boosters throughout the county. The public is asked to check out the vaccine provider list on Chaffee County’s COVID-19 website for an updated list of locations administering booster shots. In addition, CCPH is working closely with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to host regular vaccine and booster mobile clinics throughout the remainder of the year on Fridays and Saturdays. The next dates are Friday, October 29 in Salida at Alpine Park and Saturday, October 30th in Buena Vista at Railroad and Main Street. Please be on the lookout for more details.
Furthermore, CCPH is planning to offer mass vaccination events once the Pfizer vaccine is approved for children ages 5-11. Approval is expected at the end of October or the beginning of November. Tentative dates are set for first and second doses in Salida and Buena Vista in hopes of protecting as many families from the virus moving into the holiday season. Once finalized, the schedule will be released to the public.
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