CDC recommends updated COVID-19 vaccines for those 6 months and older
The vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna will be available later this week, CDC says.
Photo: Roberto Jimenez Mejias/Getty images
Following approval on Monday by the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that everyone 6 months and older get an updated COVID-19 vaccine.
Updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna will be available later this week, the CDC said.
The vaccine is available to those who have not received a COVID-19 vaccine in the past two months. The CDC recommends individuals get vaccinated for protection this fall and winter.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The latest vaccines offer protection against current variants, as the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths continues to rise, according to the CDC Data Tracker.
Most Americans can still get a COVID-19 vaccine for free, the CDC said.
For people with health insurance, most plans will cover COVID-19 vaccine at no cost. People who don't have health insurance or with health plans that do not cover the cost can get a free vaccine from their local health centers; state, local, tribal or territorial health department; and pharmacies participating in the CDC's Bridge Access Program.
Children eligible for the Vaccines for Children program also may receive the vaccine from a provider enrolled in that program.
THE LARGER TREND
The recommendation by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices follows the FDA's actions to approve and authorize the updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.
This is the first fall and winter virus season where vaccines are available for the three viruses responsible for most hospitalizations – COVID-19, RSV, and flu, the CDC said.
The FDA anticipates that the composition of COVID-19 vaccines may need to be updated annually, as is done for the seasonal influenza vaccine.
ON THE RECORD
Dr. Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, immediate past board chair, American Medical Association, said, "Becoming sick from respiratory viruses such as flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19 is common, especially during the fall and winter. With COVID-19 hospital admissions increasing, we welcome today's recommendations by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) supporting a universal recommendation for the 2023-2024 COVID-19, XBB.1.5 containing vaccine."
Twitter: @SusanJMorse
Email the writer: SMorse@himss.org
