ELKRIDGE, Md. – Marylanders now have access to an updated COVID-19 booster vaccine that is designed to better protect against symptoms of subvariants Omicron BA.4 and BA.5.
The BA.5 subvariant makes up almost 90% of all COVID-19 strains now in circulation.
The new boosters are available in time for fall, typically a time of year when cases of the coronavirus, as well as hospitalizations, rise.
“We all want the pandemic to be over, but COVID-19 is still very much with us,” says Bob Atlas, President & CEO of the Maryland Hospital Association. “All Marylanders who are eligible should get boosted as soon as possible to protect themselves, their families, and their communities.”
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Aug. 31 amended the emergency use authorization (EUA) for Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines for individuals 12 years and older and Moderna COVID -19 vaccines doses for individuals 18 years and older to recommend the two new bivalent boosters. With the amendment of the EUA for these populations, the monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are no longer authorized as booster doses for individuals 12 and older.
To receive one of the bivalent boosters, you must have already received a primary COVID-19 vaccine series.
“If you’ve had your primary series and a monovalent booster, and it’s been two months or more since your last boost, you can get the bivalent booster,” Atlas says. “If you are eligible, there is no reason to wait to get your booster.”
More information is available in the FDA’s EUA and from the CDC.
Very important, listen to your doctor when it comes to getting vaccinations, not political talk show hosts.
Also watch out for political talk show hosts who bring the 1% of nutty, crazy anti-vaccination doctors on their shows when 99% of doctors will encourage you to get a Covid booster.
Even more important, don’t be dissuaded by pyscophants and acolytes like Zander from making informed and reasoned decisions that affect your health. Trust in the medical community has devolved for one reason- those who were to do no harm, did! “Your doctor ” has no right to expect your blind acceptance of of their prescriptions. They need to re establish that trust and to just encourage more of the same old same old isn’t the way. With more and more information concerning harm from the shots, some amount of skepticism is not only natural but merited given the stakes. Perhaps, the “nutty one percent” as referenced above, aren’t what vaccine apologists are so desperately trying to portray them as. You decide!
Yes don’t be dissuaded by the entire global medical community!! Listen to the horse doctors, like No Clue. Don’t trust your personal physician!!! Listen to political propagandists, like Bill Barnes did. Don’t bother to actually look up facts!!! Just follow the conspiracy nuts and their “alternative facts”. As “Inquisitor” said. You decide.
Can’t get the booster if the pharmacies don’t have them available to administer. Don’t understand the slowness of the distribution of the booster in this area.