Get your Covid Vaccinations and Boosters at Fincastle Baptist on Oct. 28 2-6 pm

Fincastle Baptist Church Hosts COVID Vaccine Clinic!

Perfectly timed in advance of the winter holidays: 10/28/21, 2:00pm – 6:00pm

First doses, second doses, and boosters will be available

By Alex Watkins, RCAHD Community Health Engagement Coordinator

Just when you thought you had it all figured out. Last week boosters were approved for all three vaccines, leaving most of us wondering: Why do I need a booster?

Think of the vaccines like a really good rain-coat. In the case of Pfizer, this coat keeps you 95% protected from getting wet! Community transmission of COVID is how hard it’s raining outside. If you’re out in a normal rain storm, you’re basically dry! Unfortunately, SW Virginia is more like a hurricane when it comes to case numbers. Botetourt cases spiked in late September with the highly contagious Delta variant, and haven’t dropped much since. So as your really good raincoat is aging, wearing it every day, in a big ole storm, some of the protection drops. This is true for all vaccines. That small decrease may not be meaningful to you, if it’s just a rain-shower. But in this hurricane, you might want to refresh your protective gear to stay as close to 95% as possible!

Now, the next question is: Am I eligible for a booster?

Regardless of which type you received initially, if you are over 65 years old, have an underlying health condition that might make more COVID more serious for you, or work/live in a place with high exposure (communal living, healthcare worker, teacher, front-line staff, etc) the answer is ‘Yes!’

If you have more questions about the specific health conditions or situations that would make you more likely to need a boost, check out the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/p1021-covid-booster.html

For both Pfizer and Moderna, you won’t need a boost until 6 months from your last dose.

Johnson & Johnson’s booster is a whole different situation! Anyone over 18 is recommended to get a boost, if their first (and only) shot was J & J. Those boosters should be scheduled 2 months out.

And now, you have more flexibility than ever: Boosters do not have to be the same brand as your initial series. So you can be fully vaccinated with Pfizer, and receive a Moderna booster, or vice-versa. In fact, some research indicates that those who got J & J originally should get an mRNA (Pfizer or Moderna) boost to get a better immune response. 

If you haven’t gotten your first dose yet, Chuck from Fincastle wants to tell you:

“Well, I am 74 years old and my wife is battling breast cancer that has metastasized to her lungs – I didn’t want to get sick, and I sure didn’t want to bring it home to her. I had seen and heard too many stories about the complications of having Covid, and wanted to be safe rather than sorry. Getting vaccinated is my way of showing that I care about the health of those around me – family, friends, and strangers. Be safe and help to protect those around you!”

Got concerns? Questions? Need to schedule an appointment? Give us a call at 540-613-6597 or visit the website at https://bit.ly/fincastlevax.