Lehigh Valley Health Network

Booster shots available for 5-11-year-olds

Families can now schedule Pfizer-BioNTech booster shots (fourth vaccine doses) for moderately and severely immunocompromised children age 5-11 at least three months after their third dose.

The booster dose is separate from the initial vaccine series for this group of children, which includes three initial shots given over a period of seven weeks. If you aren’t sure if your child is immunocompromised, it is best to reach out to their pediatrician for guidance.

Vaccines and boosters for children in this age group are ailable by appointment only at Lehigh Valley Health Network’s (LVHN) five vaccination clinics in Hazleton, Pottsville, East Stroudsburg, Easton and Whitehall.

For more vaccination information, visit LVHN.org/vaccines.

MedEvac fully accredited

Lehigh Valley Health Network–MedEvac has been awarded its fourth full accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems for both helicopter and ground services. LVHN-MedEvac , in its 41st year of operation, is the only air and ground critical care transport program in the valley to hold independent recognition/accreditation.

Bryan Evans, director, LVHN–MedEvac Critical Care Transport, noted that the unit’s success is a result of the hospital partners, 911 dispatchers, pre-hospital providers, firefighters and law enforcement.

LVHN–MedEvaco operates two ground critical care transport ambulances based in the Lehigh Valley and four helicopters in partnership with Air Methods Corporation.

St. Luke’s Health Network

Urologist Dr. Veronica Rupert added to staff

Veronica A. Rupert, M.D. is St. Luke’s University Health Network’s first female urologist to join the SLUHN staff. She will practice at St. Luke’s Center for Urology, 5018 Medical Center Circle, Suite 101B, Allentown; and on Mondays at 755 Memorial Parkway, Suite 302, Phillipsburg, N.J.

Dr. Rupert graduated from Meharry Medical College School of Medicine, completed general surgery residencies at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, and an urologic surgery residency at Geisinger Medical Center.

St. Luke’s Center for Urology treats a full array of adult urologic conditions using the most effective advancements, including cutting-edge, minimally invasive, robotic procedures, such as those performed using the da Vinci® Surgical Robot System.

For more information, call 484-526-2598 or visit www.slhn.org/urology.