Pitt’s COVID-19 community levels remain low, CoVax vaccination center offers vaccines for young children

Pitt officials said Wednesday that COVID-19 community levels are expected to “continue to fluctuate” in the Pennsylvania region, but community levels on all campuses remain medium or low. Due to the high level of vaccinations on Pitt campuses, the risk of hospitalization, death or serious illness is low, according to the email sent by Pitt’s COVID-19 Medical Response Office.

The email said the CDC now recommends vaccines for children between 6 months and 5 years, and the Pitt CoVax Vaccination Center in Nordenberg Hall now has all COVID-19 vaccinations available for children ages three and up. The CMRO also recommends booking vaccination  appointments online. 

The CMRO made several suggestions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19:

• Continue masking in large crowds indoors, even if others are not masking.
• Stay up to date on vaccinations, and get boosted as soon as you are eligible. According to the CDC, everyone 5 and older should get one booster after their primary COVID-19 vaccine series. Adults over 50 and people 12 and older who are immunocompromised should also get a second booster. 
• Keep track of COVID-19 community levels with the CDC tool or visiting the CMRO website.

The CDC also said people who are boosted should wear a mask if they’re exposed to someone with COVID-19 even if they  remain asymptomatic. Those who are exposed to COVID-19 should quarantine for 5 full days if they don’t have a booster.