According to a press release from the Rock County Public Health Department, they are supporting the recent FDA authorization and CDC recommendation of bivalent COVID-19 vaccines for use as a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose. The press release states that on August 31, the FDA amended the emergency use authorization for the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines to authorize bivalent formulations of the vaccines for use as a single booster dose. The bivalent vaccines, which will also be referred to as “updated boosters”, contain two components of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Each updated booster includes a component of the original strain to provide an immune response that is broadly protective against COVID-19 and a component that protects against the omicron variant of the virus. The current eligibility guidelines for each updated booster dose include the following:
Moderna
Individuals 18 years and older AND
At least 2 months since primary vaccination or most recent booster dose with any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine
Pfizer
Individuals 12 years and older AND
At least 2 months since primary vaccination or most recent booster dose with any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine
With the authorization of the bivalent vaccines, the monovalent (single component) COVID-19 vaccines are no longer authorized as booster doses for those 12 and older. However, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine remains authorized for use as a single booster dose for individuals 5 through 11 years of age at least 5 months after completing a primary series of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
The Rock County Public Health Department anticipates having the updated booster doses available starting September 14 at their Janesville location.
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