Updated COVID-19 booster targets subvariants responsible for 98% of cases today

Available in Spanish The fact that we have an updated bivalent booster dose that targets the predominant variants circulating today is a wonder of science, but how do we know it’s safe and effective? In late June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) weighed administering the original COVID-19 vaccine as the next round of […]

Spread of BA.4 and BA.5 COVID-19 subvariants reinforces need for vaccination and boosters

Available in Spanish The BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants are now the predominant COVID-19 variants in Oregon and across the United States. They have led to rising COVID-19-related hospitalizations, including ICU admissions. BA.4 and BA.5 are slightly more transmissible than the BA.2 Omicron subvariant, which was significantly more transmissible than the early COVID-19 variants. While […]

Additional COVID-19 booster dose authorized for some adults and immunocompromised minors

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a statement yesterday updating its COVID-19 vaccination guidelines to include a second booster dose for some adults, as well as for immunocompromised people age 12 and older. Oregon Health Authority’s (OHA) statement on the new booster guidelines is here. All of the following booster doses can […]

Looking for a COVID-19 vaccine or booster?

You can protect yourself against all COVID-19 variants by getting vaccinated and getting a booster if you are eligible. Sites around the state are accommodating large numbers of people seeking vaccinations. These “high-volume” sites offer all three COVID-19 vaccines and are open to everyone eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination or booster. There is no cost and you do not need to register.

Booster shots highlighted in new breakthrough case report

Last week, Oregon Health Authority updated its weekly breakthrough report to include breakthrough cases in people who have received booster doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. This new set of data shows how well booster doses can protect against COVID-19 infection and severe disease. In the report, a graph divides case numbers into three categories, “unvaccinated,” […]

New data show far fewer hospitalizations for vaccinated and boosted people 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released new data highlighting the role of COVID-19 vaccines and boosters in preventing severe illness.   For the month of Dec. 2021, the risk of hospitalization in unvaccinated people as compared to people who had received an initial series of a COVID-19 vaccine was:  Nine times higher in people ages 12-17  12 times higher […]

How immunity works and why it needs a boost

There are only two ways to restrengthen our immunity: 1) to be infected by the COVID-19 virus or 2) to get a booster dose. Infection could lead to hospitalization, damage to the lungs and even death. Even mild cases can result in COVID-19 “long-haulers” who have symptoms for months. 

As Omicron cases increase, state leaders promote vaccines, boosters and masking to blunt the spread

As Omicron COVID-19 cases continue to set new records in Oregon, leaders from Oregon Health Authority (OHA), Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) urged people to get vaccinated and boosted and to practice safety measures, during a joint press conference Jan. 7, 2022.