Pa. Department Of Health Urging Teens 16 And 17 Years Old To Get COVID Booster Shot
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
HARRISBURG (KDKA) -- The state department of health is encouraging 16 and 17-year-olds to get a booster COVID-19 vaccine shot.
They are now approved for a third dose of the Pfizer shot.
"The pediatric vaccine is safe, and it is highly effective at protecting children against COVID-19-related illness, hospitalization, and death," Physician General Dr. Denise Johnson said. "I am impressed by the tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians who are stepping up every day to get their first, second or third dose of vaccine to protect themselves, their loved ones and their neighbors against COVID-19."
Experts say it'll add another level of protection -- as the omicron variant spreads.
"So we have a lot of community transmission going on and when you have a lot of community transmission going on and there's lots and lots of opportunities for people to be intermingling, you run the risk of these numbers just continuing to grow," Dr. Barbara Ferrer, the L.A. County Public Health Director, said.
In Pennsylvania, some hospitals are struggling.
Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre is operating at about 120% capacity with nearly a quarter of patients in the COVID unit.
Emergency room physicians say most of the patients are unvaccinated.