By Keith Norman, For The Jamestown Sun
JAMESTOWN — The most current version of the COVID-19 vaccine will be available from Central Valley Health District on Sept. 29, according Kim Lee, director of nursing for the public health unit.
Some clinics or pharmacies may have it sooner, according to Molly Rachel, pharmacist for The Medicine Shoppe in Jamestown, who said their vaccine supply was on order as of Sept. 22.
“We are going to start immunizing people for COVID,” she said. “We will be vaccinating for the flu for those 3 and older and COVID for those 12 and over.”
Availability of the COVID vaccine follows action by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices last week on protocols related to the COVID vaccine.
Lee said the authorization by the ACIP, a federal board under control of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, means the procedures for distributing the vaccines this year will be very similar to last year.
The ACIP updated to the schedules for administration of FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines to say the administration of the vaccines should be determined by “individual-based decision making” for those adults over the age of 65.
Vaccine administration for those people between the age of 6 months and 64 years should also be based on individual-based decision making, “with an emphasis that the risk-benefit of vaccination is most favorable for individuals who are at an increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease and lowest for individuals who are not at an increased risk, according to the ACIP.
The ACIP also passed on an 11-1 vote a requirement promoting consistent and comprehensive consent process that include six risks and uncertainties included in medical provider presentations.
Rachel said individual-based decision-making has always been the standard for administering vaccines.
“To me,” she said, “we have always done shared clinical decision making. … People should continue to discuss vaccines with their health care provider.”
This year’s late decisions on the COVID-19 vaccine protocols may have caused some confusion for the public, Rachel said.
“We just want to get people in and answer their questions,” she said. “We can usually clear things up for them.”
Lee said the actions by ACIP mean that COVID-19 vaccinations will be covered by most insurance plans this season. People should contact their preferred provider of vaccines for information about the cost and age requirements for vaccines.
Along with the COVID-19 vaccine, fall is often the time people think about updating their flu shots.
Rachel said flu and COVID shots can be administered at the same visit to a clinic or pharmacy.
According to the CDC website, this year’s flu shot is formulated to protect individuals against two variants of Influenza A and one of Influenza B. The CDC estimates 154 million doses of the flu vaccine will be available this flu season.
The vaccine is available in a regular dose and in a high-dose vaccine for those individuals over the age of 65.
The flu and COVID vaccines are rated at 30% to 60% effective in preventing hospitalization and severe illness, according to the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services.
Lee said another consideration for the fall vaccination season is a Respiratory Syncytial Virus shot.
The RSV shot is available to everyone over the age of 75 and younger individuals with pre-existing health conditions.
According to the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, the RSV vaccine is between 82% and 86% effective in reducing the risk of severe illness.
The vaccine provides lifetime protection from the illness.
People with questions about any of the vaccines should talk to their pharmacist or health care provider, Rachel said.
“We are going to start immunizing people for COVID,” she said. “We will be vaccinating for the flu for those 3 and older and COVID for those 12 and over.”
