City Of Fairfax: VDH To Send Reminders To Residents For COVID-19 Boosters; New Operating Hours For Tysons CVC

Press release from the City of Fairfax :

02/24/2022 1:30 PM

If you were vaccinated against COVID-19 more than five months ago and have not yet received a booster, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) may send you a voice or text message reminding you to make an appointment.

The message will read, “Virginia Department of Health records indicate you are eligible for a Booster COVID-19 vaccine. To schedule an appointment visit vaccines.gov or call (877) 829-4682. Please disregard this message if you have already received your Booster.” The message will also be sent in Spanish.

The VDH initiative is part of a statewide effort to increase booster uptake among residents. While 73% of people living in the Fairfax Health District have received at least two doses of a two-dose vaccine series or one dose of a single dose vaccine, 45 percent of the population eligible for a booster have yet to get one.

COVID-19 vaccine boosters are recommended for everyone age 12 years or older who completed their primary vaccination series at least five months ago. If you received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at least two months ago, you are eligible to receive a booster of either the Pfizer-BioNtech or Moderna vaccine. If you are moderately or severely immunocompromised and received three doses of Pfizer or Moderna at least three months ago, you, too, are eligible for a booster.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), boosters are needed to improve protection against COVID-19 infection. After getting vaccinated against COVID-19, protection against the virus decreases over time, in part due to new variants.  Recently published studies from multiple U.S. states show that getting a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose significantly improves protection against infection, emergency department visits and hospitalization caused by Omicron and Delta variant infection.

VDH will use contact information provided during your initial appointment sign up. However, because this information may not be complete, not everyone eligible for a booster will receive a voice or text message. If you think you may be eligible for a booster, please contact your healthcare provider or contact the VDH call center at 877-829-4682 for a review of your vaccination record.

Beginning Tuesday, March 1, the Tysons Community Vaccination Center (CVC) located at 7950 Tysons Corner Center, McLean, will be open five days a week: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The site is easily accessible by several bus routes and located within walking distance of the Tysons Corner Metro station along the Silver Line.

The CVC is offering COVID-19 vaccines via walk-in service or by appointment for people age 5 years and older.

In addition to the Tysons CVC, the COVID-19 vaccine is available at many locations, including pharmacies, local health departments and medical providers. To find a location, visit vaccines.gov. Residents may also schedule an appointment online or call the call center at 703-324-7404.

This press release was produced by the City of Fairfax. The views expressed here are the author’s own.