Updates to COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations – What You Need To Know
Happy May! We hope your month is off to a great start and that you’re enjoying the blooming flowers, warmer weather, and longer days. In addition to the seasonal changes that come with spring, there have also been some recent changes in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic that we want to keep you informed about.
As we’ve discussed in our past couple of emails, the current Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19 will be ending in a little over a week on May 11, 2023. Additionally, a few weeks ago the CDC updated its COVID-19 vaccine recommendations. This week, we wanted to provide a brief overview of what has changed, what has stayed the same, and how this new guidance may affect you.
- General Guidance on Keeping Your Immunity Up-To-Date: The CDC continues to recommend an updated (bivalent) booster dose for people who are 6 years and older. If you have already received the updated bivalent dose since they became available in the fall of 2022, you are up to date unless you’re 65 and older or immunocompromised (see below.)
- Guidance for Those Age 65 or Older or Immunocompromised: People who are age 65 or older, as well as those who are immunocompromised, are eligible to receive an additional updated (bivalent Pfizer/Moderna) vaccine dose if it’s been at least four months since their initial bivalent dose.
- Guidance for Young Children: A multi-dose series is still recommended by the CDC for children as young as 6 months. Recommendations will depend on the vaccine type, the age of the child, and which COVID-19 vaccines they may have already received. We recommend that you talk to your child’s healthcare provider to find out what vaccines they are eligible for and whether they need a booster. You can also find more information from the CDC about vaccine recommendations for young children here: Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines
- Status of the Monovalent (Original) COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines: As of April 19 2023, the CDC is no longer recommending the use of the original (monovalent) COVID-19 mRNA vaccines as these only protect against the original virus strain. The updated bivalent vaccines will be used as the primary series for people who aren’t yet vaccinated because they protect against the original strain and the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of the Omicron variant.
We hope this overview helps to clarify what these changes mean for you and your loved ones. As always, it’s best to check with your healthcare provider for recommendations about what vaccines or boosters you and your family need. Enjoy these beautiful spring days and keep your eyes on your inbox for more updates and info from VEAP!
For more information about the CDC’s latest updates to COVID-19 vaccine and booster recommendations visit:
CDC simplifies COVID-19 vaccine recommendations
What are the latest updates to COVID-19 vaccine and booster recommendations?
Wondering where to get vaccinated?
Visit our website for up-to-date information on local vaccine clinics: Upcoming Everett and Malden Vaccine Clinics
Visit Vaxfinder.mass.gov or Vaccines.gov to find a location near you!
Text your zip code to 438829
Call 1-800-232-0233
