by Washoe County | Jun 30, 2022 | Press Release
Reno, Sparks, Nev. June 30, 2022. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has listed Washoe County as having a “High” community level for COVID-19 and recommends that people wear masks when in public indoor places and stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccines.
People who have symptoms or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 should get tested. Aside from seeking medical care, people who are sick should stay home and isolated from others in their household.
For further recommendations from the CDC, go here. The increase in community level from “Medium” to “High” is a result of 12.4 hospitalizations per 100,000 people in the past seven days, which exceeds 10 hospitalizations per 100,000 according to the CDC.
According to the Washoe County COVID-19 dashboard, the 7-day moving average for new COVID-19 cases is at 202.29 per day. The Nevada Hospital Association reported today that 48 people hospitalized in Washoe County are confirmed or suspected to have COVID-19.
Those who are at higher risk for severe illness may need to take additional precautions. This can include having a plan for rapid testing if needed and talking to your health care provider about options for treatments with oral antivirals and monoclonal antibodies. If you have tested positive in recent days, please call the Nevada Treatment and Therapeutic Services 1-800-401-0946 or visit the website here https://nvhealthresponse.nv.gov/find-treatment/ to see if you are eligible for any treatment options.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention measures COVID-19 community levels using a combination of three metrics. These include new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 population in the past seven days, the percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients, and the total new COVID-19 patients per 100,000 population in the past 7 days.
The Washoe County Health District has COVID-19 vaccine and booster appointments for anyone 6 months or older in its clinic Monday – Friday at 1001 E. 9th St. in Reno, and nurses that can come to your residence if you are homebound. Call 775-328-2427 for appointments.
You can also find vaccines at local pharmacies by going to www.vaccines.gov or find community vaccine events here.
The COVID-19 Regional Information Center is working together to deliver COVID-19 community updates in a unified manner. While press releases are only sent periodically for significant events, you can always get daily results on our website, https://covid19washoe.com/, our COVID-19 Dashboard or by following us on Twitter @COVID19Washoe. The entities include: City of Reno, City of Sparks, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Regional Transportation Commission, REMSA Health, Reno Sparks Indian Colony, Reno Police Department, Reno Fire Department, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, University of Nevada, Reno, Washoe County, Washoe County Health District, Washoe County School District and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. Also in the group are Community Health Alliance and the area hospitals, Northern Nevada Medical Center, Renown Health and Saint Mary’s.
by Washoe County | Jun 21, 2022 | Press Release
Reno, Sparks, Nev. June 21, 2022. The Washoe County Health District (WCHD) will begin administering the COVID-19 vaccine to anyone 6 months of age and older starting Wednesday, June 22, 2022, at its main clinic at 1001 E. 9th St., Building B in Reno.
To schedule an appointment, call 775-328-2427. Walk-ins will be allowed if space allows but appointments are recommended. The Health District received a shipment of Pfizer on Monday and Moderna on Tuesday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week recommended the COVID-19 vaccine for children 6 months-4 years of age. That means that anyone 6 months of age and older are now eligible for both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.
The Health District recommends residents also reach out to pediatricians, primary care physicians and pharmacies about administering the COVID-19 vaccine for those 6 months-4 years of age as WCHD received a limited supply.
“We’re excited to offer the COVID-19 vaccine to anyone 6 months of age and older,” said Kevin Dick, District Health Officer for Washoe County. “We would strongly encourage parents with children to talk with their doctors about the importance of getting their child vaccinated to provide an extra layer of protection from this disease.”
How to get your child vaccinated
- Contact your primary care physician or pediatrician to see if they are administering the COVID-19 vaccine for those 6 months-4 years of age.
- Call 775-328-2427 to schedule an appointment with the Washoe County Health District at its clinic location – 1001 E. 9th St., Building B (there is no drive-through option for vaccines at this time). Appointments are limited. The Health District clinic is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- Updates to vaccines.gov are expected to happen this week to allow searching for COVID-19 vaccines for those under 5.
- CVS said it will administer Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines to those 18 months and older – More info here.
- Walgreens will provide Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to those 3 years and older – more info here.
- Walmart plans to provide COVID-19 vaccines to those 3 years and older – more info here.
- WCHD will partner with Renown Health to host a clinic to provide the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to those 6 months-5 years of age on Saturday, June 25, 9-11:30 a.m., at the Renown Medical Group – North Los Altos location (1525 Los Altos Pkwy, Sparks). Appointments required. Only the Moderna vaccine will be available. Schedule an appointment here.
Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine – The Pfizer vaccine is approved for those 6 months to 4 years old and is a three-dose series – the first two doses are three weeks apart followed by the third dose at least eight weeks after the second dose. The Pfizer doses are 3 micrograms, which is 1/10th the level of what adults receive. The three doses were about 75-82 percent effective at preventing mild illness from the Omicron variant in those 6 months-4 years old according to the FDA, though that data is preliminary.
Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine – The Moderna vaccine is for those 6 months to 5 years old and is a two-dose series, one month apart. The Moderna doses are 25 micrograms, which is 1/4th the level of what adults receive. The Moderna vaccine was about 51 percent effective in preventing mild illness from the Omicron variant for kids 6 months-2 years old and 37 percent for those 2-5 years; protection from severe illness, though, was much higher.
Safety, side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine for those 6 months to 4 years old
The FDA and CDC took into consideration the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines first and foremost followed by effectiveness. According to the CDC, COVID-19 vaccines have undergone – and will continue to undergo – the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history.
The FDA, prior to making the decision to authorize these vaccines for the respective pediatric populations, had its independent Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee evaluate the vaccines for the under 5 age group and it voted in support of the authorizations.
In terms of side effects with the Pfizer vaccine, the FDA reported commonly pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, fever and underarm (or groin) swelling/tenderness of lymph nodes in the same arm (or thigh) as the injection. For the Moderna vaccine, the FDA said the most commonly reported side effects in clinical trial participants 6 through 23 months of age who received the vaccine were irritability, decreased appetite, fever and pain, tenderness, redness and swelling at the injection site. These side effects were also reported for the vaccine recipients 2 through 4 years age, who also experienced headaches and chills.
Both the FDA and CDC said the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine outweigh the risks. More safety info can be found here.
COVID-19 community events and appointments for just 5 years and older
- Thursday, June 23, Reno-Sparks Convention Center, 4590 S Virginia St, Reno, 3:30-6 p.m. – Appointments here
- Friday, June 24, Food Truck Friday, Idlewild Park, 2055 Idlewild Dr, Reno, 4:30-6:30 p.m. – Appointments here
- Saturday, June 25, Mexican Consulate Day at Neil Road, 3925 Neil Road, Reno, 9 a.m. -12:30 p.m. – Appointments here
- Thursday, June 30, Reno-Sparks Convention Center, 4590 S Virginia St, Reno, 3:30-6 p.m. – Appointments here
The Washoe County Health District has COVID-19 vaccine and booster appointments for anyone 6 months or older in its clinic Monday – Friday at 1001 E. 9th St. in Reno, and nurses that can come to your residence if you are homebound. Call 775-328-2427 for appointments.
You can also find vaccines at local pharmacies by going to www.vaccines.gov.
The COVID-19 Regional Information Center is working together to deliver COVID-19 community updates in a unified manner. While press releases are only sent periodically for significant events, you can always get daily results on our website, https://covid19washoe.com/, our COVID-19 Dashboard or by following us on Twitter @COVID19Washoe. The entities include: City of Reno, City of Sparks, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Regional Transportation Commission, REMSA Health, Reno Sparks Indian Colony, Reno Police Department, Reno Fire Department, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, University of Nevada, Reno, Washoe County, Washoe County Health District, Washoe County School District and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. Also in the group are Community Health Alliance and the area hospitals, Northern Nevada Medical Center, Renown Health and Saint Mary’s.
by Washoe County | Jun 3, 2022 | Press Release
Reno, Sparks, Nev. June 3, 2022. COVID-19 cases are continuing to increase in Washoe County and the CDC has raised the Washoe County Community Level to Medium.
Recommendations for a Community Level of Medium are:
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.
- Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested if you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19.
- Wear a mask on public transportation. Consider wearing a mask at any time as an additional precaution to protect yourself and others. If you are at high risk for severe illness, consider wearing a mask indoors in public and taking additional precautions.
- Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when possible.
- If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for severe disease, consider self-testing to detect infection before contact and consider wearing a mask when indoors with them.
Changes coming for COVID-19 testing at Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center
Starting June 6, there will be a couple of changes to the COVID-19 drive-through testing operations at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center (RSLEC).
Due to the Reno Rodeo in June, the testing entrance will be moved to 9th Street as there will no longer be access from the Wells Avenue or Sutro Street entrances. There will be signage throughout the area to guide people seeking testing to the correct entrance.
View the entrance map here
COVID-19 testing hours of operation will also be changing to 8-10 a.m., with the last appointment slot at 9:45 a.m. Testing capacity will remain the same.
COVID-19 testing at the RSLEC is available weekly Monday, Wednesday and Friday for residents who have COVID-19 symptoms, are a close contact to a confirmed COVID-19 case or have recently returned from international travel. Appointments can be scheduled online at this link or residents can also call 775-328-2427.
Other testing opportunities available at https://www.nvcovidfighter.org/find-test.
COVID-19 vaccines for those 6 months and older
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is set to meet June 15, 2022 to determine if children aged 6 months to 4 years will become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is expected to provide a recommendation on eligibility for that age group soon after.
The White House announced that doses for the 6 month-4-year-old vaccine will be shipped after FDA authorization.
The Washoe County Health District and other vaccine providers in the community will announce when those 6 months-4 years can get the vaccine if it is approved by the FDA and recommendations provided by CDC.
Get COVID-19 alerts to your email by signing up here.
COVID-19 community events and appointments
- Sunday, June 5, John’s Church, 1070 W. Plumb Lane, Reno, 8:30-10:30 a.m. – Appointments here
- Thursday, June 9, Reno-Sparks Convention Center, 4590 S Virginia St, Reno, 3:30-6 p.m. – Appointments here
- Friday, June 10, Food Truck Friday, Idlewild Park, 2055 Idlewild Dr, Reno, 4:30-7 p.m. – Appointments here
- Friday, June 14, Boys and Girls Club, 2680 E 9th St, Reno, 4-6:30 p.m. – Appointments here
- Thursday, June 16, Reno-Sparks Convention Center, 4590 S Virginia St, Reno, 3:30-6 p.m. – Appointments here
- Friday, June 17, Food Truck Friday, Idlewild Park, 2055 Idlewild Dr, Reno, 4:30-7 p.m. – Appointments here
The Washoe County Health District has COVID-19 vaccine and booster appointments in its clinic Monday – Friday at 1001 E. 9th St. in Reno, and nurses that can come to your residence if you are homebound. Call 775-328-2427 for appointments.
You can also find vaccines at local pharmacies by going to www.vaccines.gov.
The COVID-19 Regional Information Center is working together to deliver COVID-19 community updates in a unified manner. While press releases are only sent periodically for significant events, you can always get daily results on our website, https://covid19washoe.com/, our COVID-19 Dashboard or by following us on Twitter @COVID19Washoe. The entities include: City of Reno, City of Sparks, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Regional Transportation Commission, REMSA Health, Reno Sparks Indian Colony, Reno Police Department, Reno Fire Department, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, University of Nevada, Reno, Washoe County, Washoe County Health District, Washoe County School District and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. Also in the group are Community Health Alliance and the area hospitals, Northern Nevada Medical Center, Renown Health and Saint Mary’s.
by Washoe County | May 20, 2022 | Press Release
Reno, Sparks, Nev. May 20, 2022. COVID-19 vaccines, boosters and testing remain readily available in Washoe County, including boosters for ages 5-11, even as the State of Nevada ended its formal Declaration of Emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Washoe County Health District is reporting increases in demand for COVID-19 testing, new COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 positivity rate. Despite the increases, levels remain much lower than the Omicron surge in January.
The Washoe County COVID-19 dashboard reported Wednesday that the 7-day moving average for new cases per day is at 74.43, which is double what it was two weeks ago (36.71). COVID-19-related deaths are not increasing at that same rate; no COVID-19-related deaths have been reported since May 8, 2022.
COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to the Nevada Hospital Association (NHA), remain flat in Washoe County and are not stressing the hospital infrastructure. NHA reported today that 23 people confirmed or suspected to have COVID-19 are hospitalized in Washoe County and 83 percent of staffed hospital beds are occupied.
Those who have COVID-19 symptoms or are a close contact to a confirmed COVID-19 case can schedule a COVID-19 test at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center at this link here.
COVID-19 Vaccines and Boosters now available for those 5 years and older
COVID-19 boosters have been approved for those aged 5-11 years by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), meaning everyone 5 years and older is now eligible. Only the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is approved for those 5-11.
The Washoe County Health District has already begun administering boosters for those aged 5-11 and appointments can be made by calling 775-328-2427. Appointments are not available at community vaccine events at this time but those aged 5-11 can still walk in.
Those aged 5-11 can receive a booster shot 5 months after their initial Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination series.
COVID-19 vaccine boosters can further enhance or restore protection that might have waned over time after your primary series vaccination, according to the CDC.
Information on first and second booster eligibility can be found here.
COVID-19 community events and appointments
- Saturday, May 21, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Resource Fair, Reno Town Mall, 4001 S. Virginia St., Reno, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. – Appointments here
- Wednesday, May 25, Spanish Springs Library, 7100 Pyramid Way, Sparks, 3:30-6 p.m. – Appointments here
- Thursday, June 2, Reno-Sparks Convention Center, 4590 S Virginia St, Reno, 3:30-6 p.m. – Appointments here
- Thursday, June 9, Reno-Sparks Convention Center, 4590 S Virginia St, Reno, 3:30-6 p.m. – Appointments here
- Friday, June 10, Food Truck Friday, Idlewild Park, 2055 Idlewild Dr, Reno, 4:30-7 p.m. – Appointments here
The Washoe County Health District has COVID-19 vaccine and booster appointments in its clinic at 1001 E. 9th St. in Reno, and nurses that can come to your residence if you are homebound. Call 775-328-2427 for appointments.
You can also find vaccines at local pharmacies by going to www.vaccines.gov.
COVID-19 Treatment
People who are considered high risk may develop more serious symptoms of COVID-19 and could benefit from COVID-19 treatments.
COVID-19 treatments and therapeutic services are much more available than previously in the pandemic and are designed to reduce the risk of severe disease and death. Learn more here or talk to your doctor.
For more information about COVID-19 in Washoe County, go to www.covid19washoe.com or follow us on Twitter.
The COVID-19 Regional Information Center is working together to deliver COVID-19 community updates in a unified manner. While press releases are only sent periodically for significant events, you can always get daily results on our website, https://covid19washoe.com/, our COVID-19 Dashboard or by following us on Twitter @COVID19Washoe. The entities include: City of Reno, City of Sparks, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Regional Transportation Commission, REMSA Health, Reno Sparks Indian Colony, Reno Police Department, Reno Fire Department, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, University of Nevada, Reno, Washoe County, Washoe County Health District, Washoe County School District and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. Also in the group are Community Health Alliance and the area hospitals, Northern Nevada Medical Center, Renown Health and Saint Mary’s.
by Washoe County | May 11, 2022 | Press Release
Reno, Sparks, Nev. May 11, 2022. The Regional Information Center is updating the community on COVID-19 vaccine information.
Updated Recommendations – Second Booster
On March 29, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approved a second COVID-19 booster shot. Individuals 50 years of age or older, and those who are immunocompromised, who have received the primary series of the Pfizer, Moderna, and/or Janssen vaccines as well as their first booster may now receive the second booster of an mRNA vaccine. The time frame required between the first and second booster is 4 months.
Vaccine Opportunities
Washoe County Health District (WCHD) mobilized staff and resources to begin offering the COVID-19 vaccine 5 days a week (excluding holidays) at the WCHD Immunization Clinic. This allows for the establishment of a permanent resource in our community within a zip code (89512) with low vaccination rates. Vaccination slots are limited.
COVID-19 Immunization Clinic – Washoe County Health District, 1001 E. 9th St., Building B, Reno, Monday-Friday (excluding holidays). Call 775-328-2427 for appointments.
Upcoming Vaccine Events
Thursday, May 12, 2022
Rancho San Rafael, 1595 N Sierra St, Reno
3:30-6 p.m.
Thursday May 19, 2022
Reno-Sparks Convention Center, 4590 S Virginia St, Reno
3:30-6 p.m.
Saturday May 21, 2022
WCSO Resource Fair, Reno Town Mall 4001 S Virginia St, Reno
9 a.m.-noon
Wednesday May 25, 2022
Spanish Springs Library, 7100 Pyramid Way, Sparks
3:30-6 p.m.
COVID-19 Vaccine Strike Team
Additionally, to continue meeting the demand for the COVID-19 vaccine in our communities, we are continuing to provide Community COVID-19 Vaccine events. A tentative list of events can be found above or online here.
Vaccine Administration Jan-April 2022
- 243 Janssen doses administered (3% of total vaccines administered)
- 1,736 Moderna doses (24%)
- 1,771 Pfizer for ages 5-11 doses (25%)
- 3,483 Pfizer for ages 12+ doses (48%)
For more information, go to www.COVID19Washoe.com.
The COVID-19 Regional Information Center is working together to deliver COVID-19 community updates in a unified manner. While press releases are only sent periodically for significant events, you can always get daily results on our website, https://covid19washoe.com/, our COVID-19 Dashboard or by following us on Twitter @COVID19Washoe. The entities include: City of Reno, City of Sparks, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Regional Transportation Commission, REMSA Health, Reno Sparks Indian Colony, Reno Police Department, Reno Fire Department, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, University of Nevada, Reno, Washoe County, Washoe County Health District, Washoe County School District and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. Also in the group are Community Health Alliance and the area hospitals, Northern Nevada Medical Center, Renown Health and Saint Mary’s.
by Washoe County | Apr 22, 2022 | Press Release
Reno, Sparks, Nev. April 22, 2022. Recent wastewater samples collected by the University of Nevada, Reno reported that more than 99% of the COVID-19 variants detected were the Omicron BA.2 subvariant.
BA.2 is the dominant COVID-19 variant in Washoe County and in the State of Nevada and is very contagious. In Washoe County, there have been 28 BA.2 cases sequenced.
While BA.2 cases are increasing, the overall number of new COVID-19 cases reported remains flat at about 16 cases per day over the last seven days, according to the Washoe County COVID-19 Dashboard. More importantly, COVID-19 hospitalizations have decreased in Washoe County and are at record lows statewide, according to the Nevada Hospital Association.
“It’s not a surprise to see an uptick in COVID-19 BA.2 cases in Washoe County,” said Kevin Dick, District Health Officer in Washoe County. “It was only a matter of time before it hit in Washoe County. What we’re seeing, however, is that while the proportion of cases that are BA.2 have risen, our hospitalizations and deaths remain low, which is good. We believe deaths and hospitalizations are decreasing thanks to more and more people getting the COVID-19 vaccine and booster as well as the increased availability of COVID-19 treatments.”
Wastewater samples were collected at the Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility in Sparks, which treats the majority of wastewater of the Truckee Meadows.
“Based on the genome copies in the wastewater, it does not seem that there are high levels of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in the community,” said Subhash Verma, associate professor in the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. “BA.2 does not seem to have any selective advantage, and there isn’t an uptick in the viral genome copies, which may suggest that there may not be much increase in the cases with this variant.”
The wastewater monitoring program is operated through the Nevada Water Innovation Institute at the University of Nevada, Reno. The Institute includes regional agency partners the City of Sparks, the City of Reno and Washoe County. The wastewater monitoring program began in April 2020 and is continuing with support from the City of Sparks through the use of American Rescue Plan Act funds.
COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are available
COVID-19 vaccines and boosters remain the best form of protection from contracting COVID-19. Vaccines and boosters can be scheduled at local grocery stores and pharmacies by going to www.vaccines.gov, or you can find a local COVID-19 vaccination event here.
Residents can also visit the Washoe County Health District Clinic at 1001 E. 9th St., Building B, Reno, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., every weekday, Monday-Friday. Call 775-328-2427 for an appointment; that number can also be called to schedule a homebound COVID-19 vaccine appointment where a nurse comes to you.
For COVID-19 booster eligibility, go here.
The COVID-19 Regional Information Center is working together to deliver COVID-19 community updates in a unified manner. While press releases are only sent periodically for significant events, you can always get daily results on our website, https://covid19washoe.com/, our COVID-19 Dashboard or by following us on Twitter @COVID19Washoe. The entities include: City of Reno, City of Sparks, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Regional Transportation Commission, REMSA Health, Reno Sparks Indian Colony, Reno Police Department, Reno Fire Department, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, University of Nevada, Reno, Washoe County, Washoe County Health District, Washoe County School District and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. Also in the group are Community Health Alliance and the area hospitals, Northern Nevada Medical Center, Renown Health and Saint Mary’s.
