CentraCare Notifying Patients of COVID-19 Booster Eligibility Through MyChart

(KNSI) — CentraCare says it will begin notifying patients of COVID-19 booster shot eligibility through MyChart.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that those eligible for a booster shot of the Pfizer/BioN Tech vaccine should get one at least six months after their second dose. Eligibility now is for people over 65, people 50 to 64 with qualifying medical conditions defined by the CDC, such as chronic lung diseases, cancer, kidney disease, dementia or other neurological disorders, diabetes, HIV, heart issues, or other diseases those who are immunocompromised.

The Minnesota Department of Health and the CDC says people between the ages of 18 and 49 with qualifying medical conditions and that the benefit of the booster outweighs the risk for their personal medical risk file and people 18 to 64 who are at a higher risk of transmission and exposure due to their living or occupational setting, may receive a booster dose at least six months after their second dose.

Eligible patients who are notified via MyChart can schedule through MyChart, or by calling CentraCare Connect.

CentraCare says its priority continues to be vaccinating those who have not received the COVID-19 vaccine. According to the CDC, nearly all the cases of severe disease, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 continue to occur among those not yet vaccinated. Hospitalization rates are 10 to 22 times higher among the unvaccinated compared to vaccinated adults.

According to the CDC, guidance on booster doses for those who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines is expected in the coming weeks. For healthy, fully vaccinated patients looking for a booster shot, CentraCare says it is awaiting further guidance before scheduling appointments.

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