COVID booster vaccines get green light from FDA: Injections

A new round of COVID-19 vaccines will be rolled out soon.

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It’s that time of year again.

New COVID-19 vaccinations are now available across the country.

This comes after the Food and Drug Administration last week gave the green light to the two updated vaccines, which should protect people against the latest variants of the virus.

The arrival of the new vaccines could come as a relief to those who were trying to avoid the summer spike in infections caused by the FLiRT variants.

Whether you decide to get vaccinated quickly will depend on a number of factors, including when you last had COVID-19 and your underlying risk of becoming seriously ill.

Here’s what you need to know:

What exactly are these new photos?

The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are based on the same mRNA technology as the previous versions of the vaccine, but they are now targeted at the KP.2 variant – a member of the omikron family that became known last summer.

As many of us know by now, the virus continues to evolve to better evade our immune defenses. This means that vaccines must be updated regularly to keep up with the latest variants.

It turns out that the KP.2 variant has already been overtaken by newer variants. Since these are also descendants of omikron, the hope is that the new vaccines will show enough similarities to be able to further strengthen immunity and protect people in the coming months – which ideally reduces the chance of a major winter wave.

“The vaccine is not intended to be perfect. It’s not going to absolutely prevent COVID-19,” the FDA’s Dr. Peter Marks told NPR in an interview.

“But if we can prevent people from having severe cases that end up in the emergency room, in hospitals or worse, dying, that’s what we’re trying to do with these vaccines.”

According to Marks, the new vaccines should reduce the risk of COVID-19 by 60% to 70% across all age groups and the risk of becoming seriously ill by 80% to 90% in the three to four months after receiving the shot.

A third vaccine is expected to receive FDA approval soon.

That drug, made by Novavax, is based on older technology (not mRNA) and targets an earlier strain of the virus, called JN.1.

Who should get them?

The FDA cleared anyone 6 months and older to get one of the new shots. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the vaccines for those age groups.

“I think everyone should get one of the new vaccines,” said Dr. George Diaz, chief medical officer at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett and a spokesman for the Infectious Disease Society of America.

That said, it’s especially important for people at high risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19, namely people who are over 65 or who have other underlying health conditions, such as a weakened immune system.

Research shows that vaccination can also reduce the risk of long-term COVID, Diaz adds.

While anyone can get a shot, Dr. Paul Offit not everyone necessarily says needs one more.

“Anyone who wants this vaccine should get it,” said Offit, a vaccine expert at the University of Pennsylvania and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia who advises the FDA.

The vaccine reduces the chance of mild or moderate infection for about four to six months and “reduces to some extent the chance of spreading the virus,” he says.

But for younger people, the calculation may be different. They may have sufficient immunity from previous COVID vaccinations and infections, which means they are already protected against serious illness.

“If I were a healthy 35-year-old adult who had already had multiple vaccinations and had one or two natural infections, I would not feel obligated to get the vaccine,” he says.

And regardless of public health advice, it is far from clear how many people want one of the new jabs. Only around 22% of eligible adults have had one of the latest jabs.

Should I get the shot now? Or wait?

That is a personal decision.

Marks suggests that most people get vaccinated as soon as possible, as there has been a continued increase in COVID cases and the current vaccine is “fairly well matched” to the current strain circulating.

“Right now we’re in a surge, so you want protection from what’s happening now,” Marks says. “You’re probably going to get the most benefit.”

However, it is wise to wait if you had COVID-19 in the summer.

According to Marks, people should wait at least two or three months since their last vaccination or shot to maximize the chance of optimal protection from this new vaccine.

Some people may want to wait until later in September or October to get vaccinated if they are primarily concerned about fending off COVID-19 during a potential winter surge and staying healthy over the holidays.

“This (protection) is not something that suddenly stops after three or four months,” Marks says, “it’s just that immunity will wane over time.”

Where can I find the photos? Do I have to pay?

All major pharmacy chains, including CVS, Rite Aid and Walmart, say the vaccines should be available in all their stores this week.

Insureds can get vaccinated for free if they get their shot from an in-network provider. But it won’t necessarily be free for people without health insurance.

A federal program that paid for the vaccines for uninsured adults has expired. The uninsured may still be able to get the shots for free in some places, such as government-funded health clinics.

“In public health, we are very concerned about how they access protection,” said Dr. Kelly Moorewho rents Immunize.organ advocacy group.

“We know that people who are uninsured are the least likely to get sick – through absences from work, staying home from school.”

Can I get the COVID and flu vaccination at the same time?

Yes, health officials say it is perfectly safe to get both shots at the same time. In fact, officials recommend it, especially if it increases the likelihood that people will get vaccinated because it is more convenient.

And what about children? Can they get the same vaccinations?

Yes, children can get the same vaccines as adults. But children get different doses and may require more than one dose, depending on their age and whether they have been vaccinated before. They may also need to get their vaccinations from a pediatrician.