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About nine months ago, three COVID-19 vaccines were developed and given emergency use approval by the Food and Drug Administration to combat the virus. Now, one vaccine has been given full approval in hopes of driving more people to get the shot.

The FDA recently upgraded the Pfizer vaccine from emergency use to full approval. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) anticipates that with the new status of the vaccine, it will help to increase those who have not been fully vaccinated yet. However, anyone 12 and younger can still not be vaccinated at this time. 

Greene County Public Health Director Becky Wolf believes it is imperative that everyone who is eligible to get the vaccine get it.

“So what we need to do is create a blanket of protection over the people that can’t get vaccinated. Also the people that as you grow older, your immune system gets weaker. It is very possible that some of our elders may not have as high of protection in antibodies as you or I. So once again, how do we protect? We throw a blanket of vaccinated people into the community so that we can protect the people that can’t.”

Wolf says the CDC recommends those with compromised immune systems to get a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and that can happen 28 days after the last dose was given. She reminds everyone that there are options for those who still want to get the vaccine within Greene County, including Public Health at the Greene County Medical Center in Jefferson. Contact them at 515-386-3228.