RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A new COVID-19 subvariant is spreading rapidly this year and the Richmond and Henrico Health districts are working to protect children by hosting a vaccine clinic.
In recent weeks, Omicron’s newest subvariant XBB 1.5 has surged from 4% of cases across the country to 40% of cases. Meanwhile, 95% of children aged 6 months to 4 years old are still not vaccinated or received their first dose of the vaccine.
Nicole McCurrach, the Senior Public Health Nurse with the Virginia Department of Health is working to lower those statistics by assisting with vaccine clinics for children aged six months old through to 11. On Wednesday, Jan. 4, the team was able to vaccinate 57 children with bivalent and primary vaccines.
McCurrach is hoping that members of the community will continue to keep themselves and others protected.
“Because there are some people — even though we are, you know, three years in, like you alluded to — there are some people who still have a lot of questions,” McCurrach said.
Upcoming event details:
Jan. 19, 2 to 5 p.m., Richmond City Health Department (400 E. Cary Street)
Bivalent booster eligibility criteria:
- Children aged six months to five years old who received Moderna’s two-dose primary series are eligible two months after their second vaccine
- Children aged six months to four years old who have not yet received their third dose of Pfizer’s primary series are eligible to receive the bivalent booster as their third dose
- Children six months to five years who have completed Pfizer’s three-dose series cannot receive the bivalent booster or fourth dose
For more information and a full list of events, visit the RHHD website.
