Cuyahoga County Board of Health medical director discusses COVID-19 booster shots

The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, last week, greenlighted booster doses of the Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines.  The Pfizer vaccine had been granted authorization for booster use in September.

The booster doses for Pfizer and Moderna recipients are available for those 65 and older. The vaccine boosters are also available for those between the ages of 18 and 64 who have health conditions that put them at risk for severe complications from COVID-19.  The boosters are also authorized for those 18 to 64 who have jobs such as teacher or healthcare worker or a living situation that puts them at high risk of getting COVID-19.

Boosters are recommended for anyone who received the single dose J&J vaccine.

 The CDC in greenlighting the boosters also approved those eligible to mix and match vaccines—rather than stick with the original brand they received.  The CDC hopes the option adds flexibility and ensures equity in the booster rollout.  

Up next, Cleveland voters will choose between Justin Bibb or Kevin Kelley when they select the new mayor of Cleveland on Tuesday. It will be the first leadership change at mayor in 16 years.  Mayor Frank Jackson will retire at the end of his current term—his fourth consecutive leading the city. 

Throughout the campaign we've been bringing you in-depth coverage through our podcast, "After Jackson: Cleveland's Next Mayor." In these last two episodes before the election we have focused on the candiates: who they are, how they got here and what they have accomplished. Last week we focused on Justin Bibb. In today's episode we focus on Kevin Kelley.

Finally on the show, school board races are among the most crowded races on this year’s General Election ballot. The Ohio School Board Association says more than 2600 candidates are vying for school board seats—a 50-percent increase from four years ago.  In many cases, those seeking school board seats are political newcomers.

The election of school board members comes as issues such as masking, vaccines, and teaching subjects such as race have led to heated board meetings and clashes of opinion in what some see as a type of so-called culture war. Concern about safety led the National Association of School Boards to send a letter to President Joe Biden for federal help protecting board members, teachers, and students from potential “domestic terrorism.”  Yesterday, the Ohio School Boards Association issued a statement to discontinue its membership in the national organization as a result of that letter. 

A webinar discussion tonight will focus on this issue called: NEO School Board Races: The Priorities, Issues, and Controversy.
The discussion begins at 7pm. 

REGISTRATION LINK

The discussion is brought to you by Real Talk League of Women Voters in partnership with the Ohio School Boards Association, Honesty for Ohio Education and Ideastream Public Media.
 

Heidi Gullett, MD, Medical Director, Cuyahoga County Board of Health 
Nick Castele, Senior Reporter, Ideastream Public Media
Rick Lewis, CEO, Ohio School Boards Association