CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Omicron variant vaccine booster doses have arrived in West Virginia.
Jim Hoyer, the State InterAgency TaskForce Director recently said during a coronavirus briefing that there should not be any type of shortage in the COVID-19 vaccine department.
“We anticipate over the next couple of weeks, a significant influx, up to potentially 100,000 doses over the next week to 10 days,” Hoyer said.
Shipments of the Omicron boosters are being received in West Virginia and residents will be able to obtain them in pharmacies and their local health departments as soon as they receive them.
The Omicron booster shot is recommended for those age 12 and older who completed the primary series (for most people that’s the first two shots of Pfizer, Moderna, or Novavax), and their most recent COVID-19 shot of any kind was at least 2 months ago.
“These boosters replace the original boosters, helping provide better protection against circulating variants,” said Dr. Ayne Amjad, State Health Officer and Commissioner of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, (DHHR) Bureau for Public Health in a release. “This comes at a critical time as we head into fall and the start of the respiratory season.”
The WV COVID-19 Vaccination Due Date Calculator, a free, online tool that helps individuals figure out when they may be due for a COVID-19 shot, is being updated this weekend with the new booster changes.
The calculator makes it easier to stay up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccination. To learn more about COVID-19 vaccines, or to find a vaccine site near you, visit vaccines.gov, vaccinate.wv.gov or call 1-833-734-0965.
“Between the vaccine calculator, the hotline, working with your local providers, we will help you work through any type of confusion you might have,” Hoyer said.
There were no updates to COVID-19 numbers on Monday by the DHHR as it was Labor Day. Gov. Jim Justice and his coronavirus response team, which includes Amjad and Hoyer, are expected to hold a briefing Tuesday at 11 a.m.