Contributed by the Monroe County Health Department
The Monroe County Health Department will offer appointments for free Covid-19 vaccinations at its office location, 315 W. Oak St., Sparta, on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Vaccinations are one important tool that can help stop the spread of Covid-19 in our community. The Covid-19 vaccines are a safe and effective at reducing the severity of illness and risk of hospitalization and death caused by COVID-19.
Current available vaccines include the following:
• Pfizer — requires 2-doses, 3 weeks apart. Available to those age 12+. Booster dose available to those age 18+ who have completed the original series at least 6 months prior.
• Pfizer 5-11Y — Requires two doses three weeks apart. Available to those ages 5–11 years old.
• Moderna — Requires two doses four weeks apart. Available to those age 18 and older. Booster dose available to those age 18 and older who have completed the original series at least six months prior.
• Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) — Requires one dose. Available to those age 18 and older. Booster dose available to those age 18 and older who have completed the original series at least two months prior.
Also, the health department will host a clinic (Moderna only) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, at Organic Valley, 509 Organic Drive, Cashton.
All Covid-19 vaccinations are provided for free. No insurance is required.
Preregistration is preferred. To book an appointment, visit vaccinate.wi.gov or call the Monroe County Health Department at (608) 269-8666 during business hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday). You may also email questions to covid19@co.monroe.wi.us
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an emergency-use authorization for the use of Pfizer 5-11Y vaccine for children from 5–11 years old. The vaccine requires two doses, three weeks apart.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) recommend that everyone age 5 and older receive a Covid-19 vaccine.
The FDA has authorized a booster dose of the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson (Janssen) Covid-19 vaccines. Receiving a booster dose of a Covid-19 vaccine is intended to boost your immune system for better, long-lasting protection that might have faded over time. Wisconsin DHS supports the recommendation that anyone over the age of 18 receive a booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine at least six months after having received their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or at least two months after receiving a dose of Johnson & Johnson (Janssen). All adults are now eligible to receive booster doses, and booster doses are strongly recommended for everyone 50 and older, who are at the greatest risk for severe disease.
The FDA and CDC’s recommendations now allow for mix-and-match dosing for booster doses. Additional doses for immunocompromised individuals should be from the same manufacturer as the original two-dose mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series.
For additional information about locations in Monroe County to get vaccinated, visit http://healthymonroecowi.org/vaccine. For the most current information on vaccines, visit the Wisconsin Department of Health website page at www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/vaccine-data.htm or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/vaccines.
