This week, the federal Food and Drug Administration authorized the Pfizer COVID-19 booster shot for kids ages 12-15.
With the spread of the Omicron variant and 77,859 New Yorkers testing positive on Wednesday, Rochester Regional Health pediatrician Dr. Steven Schulz is urging parents to get their kids vaccinated and get boosters for those who are eligible. He says there are several reasons to do so.
The FDA has also reduced the recommended time between initial vaccination and a booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine to five months for everyone over 12. It’s still six months for Moderna. Last year, there was a COVID surge in the winter, but by early summer, positive test rates were well under one percent. We asked Dr. Schulz if COVID will become a seasonal disease, with a new surge every winter.
The Rochester City School District is the latest to temporarily return to remote learning, due to COVID-related staffing shortages. For information on getting first dose vaccines or boosters, visit the Finger Lakes Vaccine Hub.
