Get kids vaxxed in time for fall

“Another wave of infections has begun in Europe and will likely reach the U.S. in the next few weeks,” declared Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin-Travis County Health Authority, in a news release. “We can get ahead of this by getting the bivalent booster,” she said. “The updated boosters can protect against serious illness caused by newer variants including BA.5 sublineages BQ.1 and BQ.1.1. We need more people – especially children – to complete their primary series to better safeguard our community.” Following Dr. Walkes’ recommendation means getting updated booster doses for those who don’t yet have them. Austin Public Health supports the CDC’s updated booster recommendations for kids 5 and older at least two months after their most recent Covid-19 vaccine. According to the release, “About half of Travis County’s 5- to 11-year-olds are not yet eligible for Covid-19 booster doses because they have not completed their primary vaccination series. About 40 percent of children 5-11 have completed their primary series in Travis County.”