In addition, unvaccinated people 6 years and older will be considered up to date on vaccines if they received just one dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna bivalent booster.
This will help to simplify vaccine administration, as pharmacies no longer need to keep both types of vaccines on stock. The original monovalent vaccine is not going to be used any more, even in people who have not yet been vaccinated. To begin with, the bivalent vaccine is going to be the single vaccine made available. The CDC is aiming to simplify the vaccine recommendations and made several important changes. Those methods include regular testing, especially when symptomatic or after exposure to an infected person, and wearing a high-quality mask in crowded indoor spaces.ĬNN: How has the guidance changed for people who haven’t had the first booster yet, and those who remain unvaccinated? There are other ways to reduce your risk of contracting Covid-19 and spreading it to someone close to you. Federal health officials have not authorized family members or caregivers of high-risk individuals to get the second bivalent booster, and I think this is the right decision based on scientific evidence. For a short time, it reduces the risk of infection, but that effect is muted and temporary. The Covid-19 vaccines are very good at reducing the risk of hospitalization and death for the person who gets vaccinated. Wen: That person would not be eligible themselves. All this is to say that people should not be dissuaded from getting a booster now thinking that it will preclude them from another vaccine later.ĬNN: What if someone isn’t in one of these high-risk groups, but lives with a high-risk family member?
The individuals who are newly eligible to receive the second bivalent booster are vulnerable people who, almost certainly, would be the same first groups eligible to receive another Covid-19 vaccine in the fall. Wen: It’s possible that there will be an updated version of the booster made available in the fall that will more specifically target dominant variants in circulation. It’s not an option to select the original monovalent shot, and no other type of booster is available.ĬNN: If someone receives the booster now, can they get another booster in the fall? Those newly eligible for their second shot would receive this bivalent booster once again. Studies have shown that this booster continues to be effective against commonly circulating strains when it comes to the important metrics of reducing severe illness. Wen: The bivalent booster I’m referring to is the updated booster that first became available in fall 2022, that targets both the original strain of the coronavirus as well the BA.4/BA.5 omicron subvariants. They should also consult with their physicians depending on their specific medical circumstances, they may be able to receive the bivalent booster as frequently as every two months.ĬNN: Is the composition of the booster the same as before? The new guidance from the CDC is that anyone 6 and older with moderate or severe immunocompromise can receive a second bivalent booster if it’s been at least two months since their first.
These individuals are newly able to receive their second bivalent booster if it’s been at least 4 months since their first bivalent shot. Since very early in the pandemic, we’ve known that older individuals are among those most susceptible to severe outcomes from Covid-19.
Leana Wen: There are two groups who are now able to receive a second bivalent booster.įirst, it’s people ages 65 and over. She previously served as Baltimore’s health commissioner.ĬNN: Can you bring us up to speed with the major updates - who is now eligible to receive the second bivalent booster?ĭr. Wen is an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. To track down some answers, I reached out to CNN medical analyst, Dr. Who is eligible for the second bivalent boosters? Is the composition of the booster the same as before? If someone receives the booster now, can they get another booster in the fall? What if someone isn’t in one of these high-risk groups, but lives with a high-risk family member? And how has the guidance changed for people who haven’t had the first booster yet, and those who remain unvaccinated? There should also be much more messaging and education so that people, including young people and their parents or guardians, can be aware of the harms of marijuana - just as they are aware of the harms of other drugs.
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