SAN DIEGO — Updated COVID-19 booster shots are beginning to become available in San Diego County, following the authorization of their use by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this month.
The new bivalent booster shot has been in the works since the summer following a nationwide surge in cases caused by Omicron variants, BA.4 and BA.5, that prompted the FDA to advise vaccine manufacturers to reformulate the shot to strengthen protection against these strains.
“These new boosters are a welcome resource to our ongoing COVID-19 prevention efforts,” County public health officer Wilma Wooten said in a statement. “With this bivalent vaccine, we have an updated booster that more directly addresses the most common circulating variant, and a chance to better protect our community.”
With these updated vaccines becoming available, eligibility for the second booster dose has since been expanded by the CDC to include individuals, such as those under the age of 50 who do not have a pre-existing condition, that were unable to receive another dose under guidelines from earlier this year.
While at-risk groups remain a top priority, current recommendations suggest that any individuals who are fully vaccinated and received their last shot eight weeks ago or longer should get the bivalent booster.
Those 12 and up are able to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech booster. The Moderna booster is available to those 18 and older. Neither booster has been authorized for children under the age of 12.
Danielle Dawson contributed to this report.
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