by Annette Pinder
The new COVID-19 Bivalent vaccine is here, and all Americans are urged to get the vaccine when it is appropriate for them to do so.
Who should get the vaccine? Anyone ages 18 years and older who received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at least two months ago can receive a single booster dose of Moderna’s Bivalent vaccine. Those ages 12 and older can receive Pfizer-BioNTech’s Bivalent booster dose two months after they have completed the primary vaccination or a recent booster dose.
How long should I wait if I have recently had COVID-19? Anyone who has recently had COVID-19 must wait at least three months after receiving a negative COVID test result before getting the updated booster.
Will we continue to need COVID vaccines? It is likely that we will all require a new COVID-19 vaccine yearly along with our annual flu shot, as the virus continues to change.
Where can I get the booster? States have updated their websites with a list of clinics and other sites that have the new boosters in stock. See https://tinyurl.com/4sh4hf9v. All information about updated boosters is also available at vaccines.gov. You can also contact your local pharmacy to see if they have the vaccine in stock.
What should I know about the Bivalent COVID-19 vaccine? Both Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech have developed Bivalent versions of the vaccine that have been modified to address the Omicron variants responsible for most of the cases we are currently experiencing in the United States. The vaccine integrates elements of the original vaccine to enhance protection against the highly contagious Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 spreading across the country. The boosters were approved by the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on August 31.
