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More booster shots coming
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Posted on Feb 21 2022
The CNMI community can expect another round of booster shots, according to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., which said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration now going through the process of approving this new round.
According to Dr. Lily Muldoon, CHCC Public Health medical director, this is on top of current efforts by the FDA to create variant-specific boosters, meaning a booster that would be specific to the omicron and delta variants of the COVID-19 virus.
“We are expecting another round of boosters to be coming. [The FDA] is working right now on the regulations around this and even working on creating more advanced boosters that are going to be specific to the variants we are seeing. It will be adapted to the current variant environment,” she said.
Currently, CHCC said there is a mix of variants spreading within the CNMI community, mainly delta and omicron.
Muldoon said that CHCC is currently waiting for FDA approval for these boosters and, in conjunction with the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force, will release information once it is made available.
While waiting for the next round of boosters, CHCC is encouraging everyone to get up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations. This means getting the first two initial doses, or the first dose for the J&J vaccine, and a booster shot six months after.
Muldoon said vaccines do not prevent COVID-19 infection, but it does ensure that if one were to catch COVID-19, the symptoms would be less severe.
According to Saipan Tribune archives, the CNMI has already surpassed its target number of the population for vaccination. The CNMI has now fully vaccinated a total of 43,328 people, surpassing the initial target of 43,089 of the CNMI’s eligible population. The population count was based on the 2020 Census population estimates for the CNMI. The 2020 Census placed the total CNMI population at 47,329.
The vaccinatecnmi.com dashboard states that a total of 43,328 in the CNMI are now fully vaccinated, while a total of 44,447 have already had their first and single dose. Those who got booster shots total 20,769.
