TRACK YOUR READING MINUTES AND WIN PRIZES BAKER CITY — The Baker County Public Library is run- ning a winter reading challenge through Jan. 31 for all ages. Youth who wish to participate can pick up a sheet at the library, 2400 Resort St., to track read- ing minutes — 12 hours or 24 books. (Audiobooks count, too.) Adults can set their own goal on how many pages they want to read. For instance, 600 pages is equivalent to about two or three books. Return the reading log to the library by 7 p.m. Jan. 31 to receive an entry in the grand prize drawing. Digital copies or photos of entry forms can be emailed to info@bakerlib.org. If you reach your goal early, keep reading — additional pages or books can earn an ad- ditional entry in the grand prize drawing. The grand prize for adults is a Kobo eReader, funded by the Baker County Friends of the Li- brary. The grand prize for youth is still a surprise. JANUARY ART CLASSES PLANNED AT PAINTED SKY CENTER FOR THE ARTS CANYON CITY — Painted Sky Center for the Arts is planning a roster of classes for January. Register online at https://paint- edskycenter.com. A winter mandala class is set for Wednesday, Jan. 5, 5:30- 7:30 p.m. This mandala will be created on black canvas. The class is suitable for all levels, ages 10 and older. Cost is $35 for nonmembers, or $31.50 for 19 QUICK TAKES A BRIEF LOOK AT WHAT’S HAPPENING IN EASTERN OREGON members. Partial scholarships are available. On Thursday, Jan. 6, Angel Carpenter will teach the paint- ing class “Bird with Birch Trees,” 1-3:30 p.m. Beginners are wel- come. Cost is $40 nonmembers or $36 for members. Leon Pielstick will lead a class on making a pocket knife case. This multi-session workshop begins Monday, Jan. 10. Class is 5:30-7:30 p.m. Cost is $35 for nonmembers or $31.50 for members. Students will make a pocket knife case to fit their pocket knife that will be theirs to keep. Make sure to bring your pocket knives with you. Pielstick started leathercraft and tooling at age 10. He attended Oregon State University and graduated from Colorado State University Veterinary School. He was a practicing veterinarian in Burns until retirement and moved to John Day in 2017. MISSOULA CHILDREN’S THEATRE COMING TO BAKER CITY IN 2022 BAKER CITY — Crossroads Carnegie Art Center is bring- ing Missoula Children’s The- ater camps back in 2022. “The Jungle Book” is scheduled for the week of June 13, and “The Little Mermaid” will be the week of Aug. 15. Each camp includes five days of rehearsals, followed by two public performances. Space is limited to 60 youth, from grades 1-12. Registration is $40 for members of Crossroads, or $60 for nonmembers. Scholarships are available. Register online at www.crossroads-arts.org. Click on “Classes.” For more informa- tion, call 541-523-5369. DECEMBER 29, 2021–JANUARY 5, 2022 COVID-19 Vaccine Other vaccine events offered in December: Location: Center for Human Development Time: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm every Friday with the exception of New Year’s Eve in addition to Christmas Eve. Additional options: Scheduled appointments available throughout the week. Vaccines offered: 1st dose, 2nd dose, 3rd doses and booster vaccines. All Covid vaccine configurations will be available including pediatric vaccination. Other pediatric and adult immunizations also available at CHD. CDC General Vaccine Info: COVID-19 vaccines are effective COVID 19-vaccines are effective and can reduce the risk of getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. Learn more about the different COVID-19 vaccines. COVID-19 vaccines also help children and adults from getting seriously ill even if they do get COVID-19. While COVID-19 tends to be milder in children than adults, it can make children very sick, require hospitalization, and some children have even died. Children with underlying medical conditions are more at risk for severe illness compared to children without underlying medical conditions. Getting children ages 5 years and older vaccinated can help protect them from serious short- and long-term complications. Getting everyone ages 5 years and older vaccinated can protect families and communities, including friends and family who are not eligible for vaccination and people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Booster Information from CDC: Fast Facts Everyone age 18 and older is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine booster beginning Nov. 20, 2021. Some people are strongly advised get a booster dose to protect themselves and others. You can choose which vaccine to get. The COVID-19 vaccines are extraordinarily effective at preventing serious illness, hospitalization and death. That said, we are seeing immunity drop over time, espe- cially in people over age 50 and those with compromised immune systems who are more likely to experience severe disease, hospitalization and death. For these people, another dose boosts their immunity, sometimes greater than what was achieved after the primary, two-dose series. Health experts strongly recommend people over age 50, people over 18 who live in long-term care facil- ities, and anyone who received one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine get a booster dose. Younger, healthy people may also get a booster dose to protect themselves and others. A booster will re-build neutralizing antibodies that strengthen the body’s ability to fight getting a breakthrough case. Even if you’re not at high risk, you could be infected and then pass it on to others, such as children too young to be vaccinated, the elderly, or people who are immunocompromised. Booster doses help people maintain strong immunity to disease longer. The first vaccine series built up the immune system to make the antibodies needed to fight the disease. Over time, the immune response weakens. A booster dose stimulates the initial response and tends to result in higher antibody levels that help people maintain their immunity longer. Boosters take about two weeks to bring up the immune response. This continues to be studied, but we can reliably say it takes two weeks to bring the immune response up to or better than that after the primary series. www.chdinc.org 541-962-8800