Fredericksburg Parent

www.FredericksburgParent.NET 17 She says Central Park was chosen as the site because "we felt it would best serve our commu- nity"—it's in a high-traffic area and is easily acces- sible from both directions of I-95. In addition, the center is open on weekends as well as in the evening on weekdays, which "has been very helpful for parents bringing their child to be vaccinated," says Chamberlin. While many people in the community are thank- ful for an easy-to-access vaccination center, some are not happy about the site being there, she says. Of course, "there have been detractors when it comes to the COVID vaccine since the beginning," she adds. Fortunately, Chamberlin hasn't received any reports about protests or disturbances at the site. However, "there are some people who are a little more vocal now that the vaccine is avail- able for children," she says, "but we see that more on social media." Overall, the Central Park vaccination center has been helping to increase vaccina- tion rates in the community. "It's such a convenient loca- tion for people, especially for parents with young children," says Chamberlin. "It really is a wonderful facility, and again, we're getting great feedback." The Rappahannock Area Health District includes Fredericksburg and the coun- ties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford. Vaccination rates in those areas range from 52% to 56% of the population fully vaccinated. These rates are lower than in Virginia overall, which has fully vaccinated 66% of its population. But they are higher than many of the counties in the southwestern part of the state, where less than 45% of the population is fully vaccinated. A number of people in the Rappahannock Area Health District have also taken advantage of their eligibility for a booster— between 12% and 16% have received a third dose of a COVID- 19 vaccine. Research shows that while two doses of the Moderna-NIAID and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are effective, the protection against infection may wane over time. As a result, the CDC rolled out boosters earlier in the fall—first to adults with a higher risk from COVID-19 and later to all adults. In addition, with the recent appearance of the fast-spreading Omicron coronavirus variant in the United States, the CDC expanded booster eligibility to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to access the booster based on their individual benefits and risks. Scientists are still working to figure out how well the COVID- 19 vaccines hold up against this new variant, but they expect a booster to offer additional protection. Many researchers also believe that even two doses of the vaccine will provide protection against severe illness in the face of Omicron. The Food and Drug Administration has authorized mixed boosters, so if you are eligible for a booster, you can choose any of the COVID-19 vaccines for your extra dose. The CDC also recommends that people with a weakened immune system—such as organ transplant recipients or those undergoing certain types of cancer treatments—receive an extra dose because they may not generate a strong immune response from the initial series of the vaccine. The Central Park community vaccination center is locat- ed at the former Home Gallery Store at: 1877 Carl D. Silver Parkway, Fredericksburg, Virginia. It is open from 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Walk-ins are welcome, but Chamberlin encour- ages people to schedule an appointment, in case there is a large influx of people coming at the same time. Appointments can be scheduled online at vaccines.gov or vase.vdh.virginia.gov. You can also text your ZIP code to GETVAX (438829) for English or VACUNA (822862) for Spanish to immediately receive addresses of nearby available vaccination centers. People who have difficulty registering online can con- tact the Rappahannock Area Health District's call center weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 540-899-4797. Rappahannock area vaccination rates range from 52% to 56%.

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