10/06/2022 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/06/2022 20:51
With the holidays right around the corner, San Diegans are reminded to schedule their COVID-19 booster and flu vaccines as soon as possible to prevent the spread of illness during upcoming seasonal gatherings.
It is safe to get both the COVID-19 vaccine and flu shot during the same visit and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone 6 months or older get vaccinated against both viruses. COVID-19 primary series vaccines and bivalent boosters, as well as flu shots are widely available across the region.
"Vaccines are safe and effective at preventing severe outcomes from disease, but it takes some time for them to take full effect after vaccination," said Wilma J. Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. "It takes most people about two weeks to develop antibodies after vaccination, so I recommend scheduling your vaccination appointments as soon as possible to develop protection ahead of the holidays."
Booster Eligibility
The Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna bivalent COVID boosters are readily available in the region. The Pfizer bivalent booster is available for anyone age 12 and older. The Moderna bivalent booster is available for anyone age 18 and older.
Bivalent boosters have not yet been authorized for children under the age of 12. Youths in that age group can get boosted with the previous version of the monovalent Pfizer vaccine.
San Diegans must be fully vaccinated with the primary series of one of the approved COVID-19 vaccines before receiving a bivalent booster, meaning they must have received the two-dose primary series of Pfizer, Moderna, or the relatively new Novavax. All of those vaccines remain widely available.
Also eligible for the bivalent booster are those who received at least one shot of the Janssen vaccine, which is no longer widely available.
Anyone who wants to get a bivalent booster must wait at least eight weeks after they received a previous COVID-19 vaccine until they are eligible. In addition, anyone who is fully vaccinated or up-to-date and recently tested positive for COVID-19, should wait three months after infection to get a bivalent booster.
Vaccination Progress:
Deaths:
Cases, Case Rates and Testing:
More Information:
Data updates to the County's coronavirus-sd.com website will be published Thursdays around 5 p.m., with the exception of holidays.