RIDOH's Dr. Chan Discusses What Is Expected Next in the Pandemic
RIDOH's Dr. Chan Discusses What Is Expected Next in the Pandemic
“In most parts of the U.S. including here in Rhode Island, I think we may see a little bit of a blip, not much so I’m going to be cautiously optimistic and that's again because we have seen a huge surge of omicron and that does confer some immunity -- so it's important, you know incredibly important, for people to get vaccinated if they haven't been vaccinated and to make sure to get boosted,” said Chan.
“There's good data now that that booster shot is really needed to protect you against emerging variants omicron BA2 [the new emerging sub variant] and once you have that first booster you really are protected against severe illness," added Chan.
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Presently in RI, more than 90% of the population received the first two shots of the vaccine, but less than 40% have received the booster shot.
Now, health experts and federal public health agencies -- the CDC and the FDA -- have approved a second booster for those over 50 years of age and those who are autoimmune compromised.
The pandemic is not over. Data in RI shows the transmission rate creeping up. It had dropped to below 100 cases per 100,000 over a seven-day period. On Wednesday, the RIDOH reported that it had increased to 146.
On March 29, Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky announced:
“Today, CDC expanded eligibility for an additional booster dose for certain individuals who may be at higher risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19. Boosters are safe, and people over the age of 50 can now get an additional booster 4 months after their prior dose to increase their protection further. This is especially important for those 65 and older and those 50 and older with underlying medical conditions that increase their risk for severe disease from COVID-19 as they are the most likely to benefit from receiving an additional booster dose at this time. CDC, in collaboration with FDA and our public health partners, will continue to evaluate the need for additional booster doses for all Americans.”
LEARN MORE ABOUT A BOOSTER HERE