Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022

Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines Including Boosters

The CDC recommends everyone stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccination, including all primary series doses and boosters for their age group:

People ages 6 months through 4 years should get all COVID-19 primary series doses.
People ages 5 years and older should get all primary series doses, and the booster dose recommended for them by CDC, if eligible.
- People ages 5 years to 11 years are currently recommended to get the original (monovalent) booster.
- People ages 12 years and older are recommended to receive one updated Pfizer or Moderna (bivalent) booster.
This includes people who have received all primary series doses and people who have previously received one or more original (monovalent) boosters.
At this time, people aged 12 years to 17 years can only receive the updated Pfizer bivalent booster.

Remember, getting a COVID-19 vaccine after you recover from COVID-19 infection provides added protection against COVID-19.

For more information, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html

Bivalent Boosters Available in Dubuque County

The bivalent COVID-19 vaccines contain two messenger RNA (mRNA) components of the COVID-19 virus, one of the original strain and the other one in common between the BA.4 and BA.5 lineages of the omicron variant. They offer protection against the original strain of COVID-19 as well as the Omicron strain, which is now the predominant variant of the virus around the world

Individuals ages 12 years and older are recommended to receive an age-appropriate bivalent mRNA booster dose at least two months after receipt of a primary series or prior booster dose.

Many local health care providers are now offering these boosters and prefer or require appointments until supplies increase. For additional information, please contact your health care provider or pharmacy of choice for details on these initial distributions. There are NO priority groups for these boosters.

The UnityPoint Health Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) is hosting a series of COVID-19 vaccination clinics for both primary series and bivalent booster doses. Appointments are required for bivalent boosters and can be scheduled by calling the VNA office at (563) 556-6200. Appointments are not required for primary series or pediatric COVID-19 vaccinations. Individuals wanting a COVID-19 primary dose or pediatric vaccine can walk in on Fridays at the VNA’s office.

Clinics are scheduled for:

Friday, Sept. 16, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 19, 12 - 6 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 23, 12 - 6 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 30, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

For additional information, visit www.dubuquecounty.org/sleevesup

County Incident Management Team Video Update

CLICK HERE OR ON THE IMAGE ABOVE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

91 New Cases and 2 Deaths Since Sept. 7

NEW POSITIVES

https://idph.iowa.gov/Emerging-Health-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus/COVID-19-Reporting

91* new positive cases reported since Sept. 7.
Total positive cases/individuals reported to date = 29,040

* Due to the wide availability of at-home rapid tests, the results of which are usually not reported/recorded, new COVID cases are underreported. The number reported in this update is the number of new cases reported to the Iowa Department of Public Health.

MEDIUMCOVID-19 COMMUNITY LEVEL

Dubuque County COVID-19 Community Level = MEDIUM

CDC Guidance for MEDIUM Community Level:

If you are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease:

Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions (e.g., testing)
Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or access to testing)
Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, PrEP, and monoclonal antibodies

If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for severe disease

consider self-testing to detect infection before contact
consider wearing a mask when indoors with them

Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters

Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when possible

Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested if you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19

* At all levels, people can wear a mask based on personal preference, informed by personal level of risk. People with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask.

HOSPITALIZATIONS

8 County Hospitalizations: Today, MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center has 7 inpatients with COVID-19 and UnityPoint Health – Finley Hospital has 1 inpatient hospitalized with COVID for a total of 8 persons hospitalized with COVID in Dubuque County.

COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION LEVEL

Dubuque County COVID-19 Community Transmission Level = HIGH

The CDC's Community Transmission Level is based on the number of new cases per 100,000 population and is used by local healthcare facilities to determine internal protocol and procedures.

Dubuque County is currently at a HIGH level of community transmission of COVID-19. Click here to visit the CDC's COVID Data Tracker site.

DEATHS

2 new death reported since Sept. 14.
Total deaths related to COVID to date = 307

VACCINATIONS

65.5% of all county residents are fully vaccinated
57.9% of all county residents fully vaccinated have received a booster

For current information on Dubuque County vaccination opportunities, visit www.dubuquecounty.org/sleevesup.

For information on local COVID-19 testing options, visit www.dubuquecounty.org/covidtesting

Please do not reply to this message. If you have general questions about COVID-19, please call 563.556.6200.

To subscribe to these updates, visit www.cityofdubuque.org/getcovidupdates