Grant Co. Health District encourages vaccines as illnesses rise

MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Health District is encouraging area residents to ensure their COVID-19 vaccinations are up to date for the 2023-24 season citing increasing cases of COVID-19 and related hospitalizations, according to a Sept. 19 press release.

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration … authorized an updated COVID-19 vaccine for the 2023-2024 respiratory season. The vaccine was updated to better protect against the COVID variants expected this fall and winter. The bivalent COVID booster used previously, offered protection against COVID-19 variants seen in 2022, but is no longer authorized for use,” the GCHD press release said.

Data provided in the release indicates that infections are up to nearly 300 per 100,000 residents — with the county population at about 100,300 per the US Census Bureau. The month of September started out with about 200 cases per 100,000 as of Sept. 3.

GCHD is recommending residents follow the federal guidelines noted below:

Residents five and older should get one dose of the updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines.

Those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may wish to get additional doses of the updated COVID-19 vaccine.

Children 6 months of age to four years of age may need multiple doses of the vaccine to be up to date and to ensure the best protection.

Those with concerns about any vaccine should consult their physicians.

Vaccine clinics are coming up in Soap Lake and Warden, the press release said. The clinics will offer adult COVID-19 vaccines at no cost to underinsured and uninsured adults. Adult flue vaccinations will be available at no cost to the uninsured. All childhood vaccines will be provided at no cost.

Vaccine Clinics:

Soap Lake

Oct. 16

4-7 p.m.

Soap Lake Senior Center

121 Second Ave SE

Soap Lake, WA 98851

Warden

Oct. 23

4-7 p.m.

115 N. Oak Ave.

Warden, WA 98857