Holy Rose, California – December 10, 2021 – Sonoma County will immediately make 16 and 17-year-olds eligible for booster shots of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, aligning the county with new federal and state guidelines, the county’s health services department said on Friday.

MyTurn.ca.gov is currently updated to reflect expanded eligibility. Parents and guardians are encouraged to consult with their teen’s health care provider to schedule their reminder appointment.

At this stage, only the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is authorized and recommended for adolescents by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adolescents between the ages of 16 and 17 are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine booster six months after completing their primary immunization series.

The decision to expand eligibility for recalls will provide another powerful tool to protect teens and their families from COVID-19, said Dr Sundari Mase, Sonoma County health official.

“The data is clear. The vaccine is both safe and effective for adolescents. This significantly reduces the risk of serious illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19, ”said Dr Mase. “And it also helps keep others safe, by interrupting the chain of transmission and reducing the spread of COVID-19 in our community. “

Anyone aged 16 and over should get a booster as soon as they are eligible under the guidelines, which were expanded Thursday by the United States Food and Drug Administration and endorsed by the Western States Scientific and Safety Review Workgroup, an independent scientific working group that coordinates vaccine policies in California, Washington, Oregon, and Nevada. More information on booster eligibility, including when to get a booster and which vaccine to use, is available at the CDC website.

Vaccination is the best protection against COVID-19, as people congregate indoors with the onset of colder weather and winter holidays, which increases their risk of exposure to the virus, the said. Dr Mase. Other preventative measures, such as wearing a properly fitted mask and avoiding large crowds and poorly ventilated spaces, remain essential, with the Delta variant continuing to spread in Sonoma County and the Omicron variant detected in the region. bay area.

Local data collected over the past three months shows that Sonoma County residents who aren’t vaccinated are 9 times more likely to get sick, 40 times more likely to be hospitalized, and 16 times more likely to die from COVID- 19 than immune people.

“We have an abundant supply of vaccines in Sonoma County. Don’t wait, make an appointment for your vaccination or booster today, ”said Mase.

As of Friday, 350,459 Sonoma County residents aged 5 or older were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, equivalent to 74.5% of the county’s eligible population. Another 40,302 residents were partially vaccinated. Boosters have been distributed to 111,656 Sonoma County residents aged 18 and over since being approved by the FDA and recommended by the CDC in September and October.

###