Sept. 28, 2023. Reno/Sparks, Nev. – Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH), formerly the Washoe County Health District, will begin administering the updated COVID-19 vaccine primarily to serve people who don’t have health insurance or who are under-insured starting Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, at its main clinic at 1001 E. 9th St., Building B in Reno. The updated vaccine is recommended for anyone 6 months of age and older.

Appointments can be made by calling 775-328-2402. NNPH will provide the vaccine to people who are uninsured or underinsured with a low administrative fee; however, no patient will be turned away for financial reasons.

People who have health insurance are urged to contact their health provider or go to vaccines.gov to get the COVID-19 vaccine at a local pharmacy – see a list of providers near you at vaccines.gov. Most health plans will cover the cost of the COVID-19 and flu vaccines; however, if your health plan doesn’t, or if you’re having any issue getting a COVID-19 vaccine for yourself, a child or other family member, please call NNPH at 775-328-2402.

The updated COVID-19 vaccine is designed to prevent hospitalization and death from COVID-19 variants found in our community and nationwide, especially those who are most vulnerable like seniors and people who are immunocompromised. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) is urging those 6 months and older to get the updated one-dose vaccine.  They are also recommended to get the flu vaccine, and the new RSV vaccine is available to those 60 and older.

COVID-19 cases in Washoe County increased in early September to a point where about 60 cases per day were being reported (that does not count positive at-home tests), which was the highest level since December 2022.

According to the latest local COVID-19 data, the 7-day moving average for new COVID-19 cases per day is 32.6. There have been 1,382 COVID-19-related deaths reported since March 2020 with nine deaths reported in the last two months.

“The updated COVID-19 is the best form of protection from this disease as we enter respiratory disease season next week,” said Kevin Dick, District Health Officer for NNPH. “As much as we all want COVID-19 to be eradicated, we can’t ignore that cases are still being reported and people are still dying from the disease. We hope that people make time to get themselves and their families vaccinated, especially those who could suffer serious impacts from the disease.”

For more information about COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccine, who’s eligible and more can be found here. For Washoe County COVID-19 information, go to www.COVID19Washoe.com or www.COVID19Washoe.com/espanol.

Please note the Washoe County Health District changed its name to Northern Nevada Public Health on Aug. 31, 2023. More information is here.

Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH) is nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board and has jurisdiction over all public health matters in Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County through the policy-making District Board of Health. NNPH consists of five divisions: Administrative Health Services, Air Quality Management, Community and Clinical Health Services, Environmental Health Services and Epidemiology & Public Health Preparedness. More info can be found here.