Berkeley, California (Friday, December 17, 2021) - Public health agencies across the Bay Area urge everyone eligible to get vaccinated and, if eligible, get a booster shot right away to protect against the rapidly spreading Omicron variant.
Widely available via appointment or drop-in sites, boosters maintain the power of vaccines to strongly protect against severe illness and death from COVID-19. Everyone should get one when eligible, but particularly those over 50 or those with significant underlying health conditions.
Get a booster if you are at least 16 years old and:
- 6 months have passed since your second dose of Moderna (for 18+)
- 6 months have passed since your second dose of Pfizer (for 16+)
- 2 months have passed since your Johnson & Johnson Dose (for 18+)
Public health officials in the City of Berkeley as well as the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma encourage anyone eligible who needs a booster dose to get one as soon as possible.
To find a booster shot appointment, use myturn.ca.gov, your health care provider or one of the clinics coordinated by Berkeley Public Health at cityofberkeley.info/vaccine.
Currently, 34 percent of eligible City of Berkeley residents have received a booster, and approximately 36 percent of residents who are 50 years and over have yet to get their booster shot.
As Omicron spreads, cases could grow exponentially
There has been one lab-confirmed case of the Omicron variant reported to Berkeley Public Health as part of an outbreak involving at least a dozen residents of Alameda County as a whole.
There is a significant risk of an exponential growth of COVID-19 cases in our region based on the exponential growth in cases already being seen in Europe. The United Kingdom currently has more COVID-19 cases than at any time during the 2-year pandemic. Other highly vaccinated countries that mirror the Bay Area's high vaccination rates, such as Denmark and Norway, are predicting Omicron will become the dominant variant in a matter of days.
Evidence suggests that Omicron spreads more rapidly than other variants, and more is being learned every day. Although some evidence suggests that a lower percentage of people infected with Omicron may be hospitalized and die, if a surge causes many thousands of new cases per day, even a small percentage of that total entering our hospitals will overwhelm healthcare delivery systems.
"A booster dose as soon as you are eligible is an urgent choice to protect yourself and your family," said Dr. Lisa B. Hernandez, the City of Berkeley Health Officer. "Even if you were fully vaccinated earlier this year, booster doses help maintain the power that vaccines have already shown in protecting people from severe illness and death."
Use all tools to protect yourself, your family and our community
Masking, testing, ventilation, and distancing add additional, effective layers of protection against COVID-19. The more layers you use, the safer you'll be.
If people must travel or gather for the holidays:
- Have everyone ages 5+ get their COVID-19 vaccine and booster if eligible.
- Anyone who develops symptoms of COVID-19 should isolate themselves and get tested as soon as possible.
- Get tested before gathering or traveling, upon return, and again 3-5 days later.
- Take advantage of quick and easy home test kits available in pharmacies and stores.
- Wear a mask indoors and in crowded settings.
- Keep group gatherings small. Gather with close family units.
- Outside gatherings are safer than indoor gatherings.
- Be particularly cautious around elderly or immunocompromised individuals and consider COVID-19 testing before such interactions.
Parents of very young children and those who have not been vaccinated should make sure to take all advised precautions. Avoid large gatherings. Always wear a mask in indoor public settings (unless under age 2).
Vaccinations are available at no cost to the public, insurance is not required, and there are no immigration requirements. Visit cityofberkeley.info/vaccine to learn more.
