Dr. Desmar Walkes, the Austin-Travis County Health authority, said the booster dose is an important tool against the virus, particularly as APH moved the community into Stage 5 risk-based guidelines on Jan. 6.
“Today we elevated our community’s risk level to its highest stage. Omicron is spreading throughout our community faster than any variant that’s come before it,” Walkes said in the release. “The places where you go for health care, to eat and to buy goods and services will all be short-staffed. We must act now to protect our way of life.”
In addition to expanding Pfizer COVID-19 booster eligibility to everyone age 12 and older, APH will offer moderately or severely immunocompromised 5- to 11-year-olds an additional primary dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine 28 days after their second shot.
APH will also shorten the time between initial doses and the booster dose from six to five months for those who received the Pfizer vaccine.
According to the release, more than 70% of eligible Travis County residents are fully vaccinated.
