North Vegas Times

City of Mesquite recently issued the following announcement.

Southern Nevada Health District COVID-19 Update

Following is the Southern Nevada Health District’s weekly summary of COVID-19 data and new or updated information about COVID-19 clinics and resources.

COVID-19 Testing

Due to increased testing demand, the Southern Nevada Health District and its partners have added additional locations and expanded testing operating hours at its three College of Southern Nevada sites.

Beginning next week, six additional mobile testing units will be operational. Registration for these locations will be available on the Health District’s testing information page: www.snhd.info/covid-testing. Appointments are recommended.

Monday, January 10:

• Laughlin Library, 2840 Needles Highway, Laughlin, NV 89029

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

• Clark County Government Center, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89155

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

• Northgate Christian Church, 875 E. Washburn Rd., North Las Vegas, NV 89081

Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Tuesday, January 11:

• Centennial Hills Library, 6711 N. Buffalo Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89131

Tuesday and Thursday, 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.

• Rainbow Library, 3150 N. Buffalo Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89128

Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

• Sandy Valley Library, 650 W. Quartz Ave., Sandy Valley, NV 89019

Tuesday and Thursday, 1 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Testing at the College of Southern Nevada campuses in North Las Vegas, in Henderson, and the West Charleston campus is available Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Health District encourages people to get tested at one of the community COVID testing sites rather than visiting a hospital emergency department for testing. For a complete list of testing sites, visit: www.snhd.info/covid-testing.

With the current increase in COVID-19 cases and influenza season, it is important to keep emergency departments from becoming overwhelmed with individuals seeking COVID-19 testing.

COVID-19 Cases

The Health District continues to report significant numbers of new COVID-19 cases in the community. On January 7, we are reporting 386,861 cases of COVID-19 reported in Clark County, an increase of 3,508 cases over the previous day. The Health District is also reporting the seven-day moving average of 2,495 new positive cases as of January 3. A total of 6,529 Clark County residents have died from COVID-19. The full report is available at https://covid.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/cases/reports/.  

The increase in cases is being reported as the Omicron variant continues to become more prevalent and as people have attended social gatherings and return from holiday travel. The Health District is urging people to use the tools they have available to help protect themselves and others. In addition to getting fully vaccinated, people who are eligible should get a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, wear well-fitting masks in public indoor or crowded settings, and get tested if they have symptoms of COVID-19.

The demand for testing is high at this time. The Health District has expanded testing locations to meet the current demand. However, people may experience longer wait times for services or be directed to another clinic site for services. Testing location information is available at www.snhd.info/covid-testing.

Variants

COVID-19 vaccines remain the most effective measure to protect against serious illness and hospitalization and to reduce the likelihood of new variants emerging. The Health District recommends everyone 5 years and older get fully vaccinated, and everyone 12 years and older who is fully vaccinated gets a booster dose if they are eligible to protect themselves and others from COVID-19.

Variants of the virus that cause COVID-19 are tracked by the Health District, throughout the United States and globally by public health organizations.

The virus that causes COVID-19 is constantly changing, and the most effective way to prevent the spread and slow the emergence of new variants is to get vaccinated, get a booster when eligible, wear a mask in public indoor settings, practice good hand hygiene, and for people to stay home and get tested if they are sick or have symptoms of COVID-19 or have had contact with a confirmed or suspected case.

More information about variants, including classifications and definitions, is available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/index.html.

The CDC continues to learn about COVID-19 variants and reports them as follows: Variants Being Monitored (VBM), which may include variants previously designated as Variants of Interest (VOI) or Variants of Concern (VOC), and Variants of High Consequence (VOHC).

As of January 6,  the Health District is reporting the following variants being monitored (VBM) in Clark County:

As of January 6, the Health District is reporting the following variants of concern (VOC) in Clark County:

In the past 30 days, the Health District identified the following variants in Clark County:

COVID-19 Vaccination Status Report

The Southern Nevada Health District offers the Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna vaccines as well as the J&J vaccine. We will continue to follow the CDC’s guidelines and recommendations regarding use of these vaccines, to include their most recent recommendation for the preferential use of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines over the J&J vaccine and the continued use of the J&J vaccine in those for whom the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines are not indicated or in those who prefer the J&J vaccine after being advised about any vaccine-associated risks.

COVID-19 Booster Doses:

The CDC on Thursday expanded eligibility for Pfizer BioNTech booster doses to people between the ages of 12 and 15 and they are available at Health District vaccine clinics. Booster doses are now recommended for children between the ages of 12 and 17 and they should receive their booster dose five months after completing their Pfizer BioNTech vaccine series.

In addition, the CDC recommended an additional dose of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine for moderately or severely immunocompromised children between the ages of 5 and 11, for a total of three doses. The third dose should be administered 28 days after their second shot.

The CDC also updated its booster dose recommendation for people who received the two-dose Pfizer BioNTech  vaccine. It now recommends the booster dose for everyone age 12 and older who completed their Pfizer two-dose series at least five months ago. The booster dose recommendation remains the same for people age 18 and older who completed their Moderna two-dose series, and everyone age 18 and older who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine more than two months ago. Currently, only the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine is approved for booster doses for people age 5 to 17 years old.

For those 18 and older, the booster dose can be the same vaccine originally received or a different vaccine. COVID-19 boosters are safe, effective and free.

COVID-19 Pediatric Doses

As of January 6, more than 32,000 children between the ages of 5 and 11 have received their initial COVID-19 vaccine dose in Clark County and more than 18,000 have completed their vaccine series.

The Pfizer BioNTech pediatric vaccine is available at the Health District’s main public health center, 280 S. Decatur Blvd. and its community clinic sites. Health District and community partner clinic listings and appointment access are available at www.snhd.info/covid-vaccine. Appointments are recommended but walk-ins are accepted.

The COVID-19 vaccine is the best way to protect children from getting COVID-19. Children may be at lower risk than adults of becoming seriously ill, but it is still possible. The vaccine is safe, effective and free.

Current Vaccine Update:

As of January 7, 2022:

• Total Doses Reported Administered: 3,207,747

Total Vaccinations Reported Initiated: 1,607,022

 Percent initiated vaccination:

 Overall: 69.32%

 18 years and older: 83.24%

 5 years and older: 71.99 %

 Total Vaccinations Reported Completed: 1,305,826

 Overall: 56.33%

 18 years and older: 68.43%

 5 years and older 58.17%

Additional vaccination information is available at www.snhd.info/covid-cases.

COVID-19 after Vaccination

As of January 6, the Health District has received reports of 27,205 fully vaccinated individuals testing positive for COVID-19. In Clark County, the current number of cases of COVID-19 in people who are fully vaccinated represents 226 cases out of every 10,000 fully vaccinated people whereas the number of cases in unvaccinated is 3,192 out of every 10,000 unvaccinated. The Health District is reporting a total of 261 deaths that have occurred in fully vaccinated Clark County residents. This represents 2 deaths per 10,000 fully vaccinated people whereas the number of deaths among unvaccinated people is 56 out of every 10,000 unvaccinated.

The Health District’s COVID-19 breakthrough infection reports are available at: www.snhd.info/covid-breakthrough.

Clinic Locations

COVID-19 vaccine clinic hours at the Health District’s 280 S. Decatur Blvd. public health center are Monday and Friday, 6:15 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday from 6:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Expanded hours at the main public health center are Monday and Friday from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Clinic information and additional resources are available on the Health District’s website at www.snhd.info/covid.

‍For the PDF copy of the press release click HERE.

Original source can be found here.