By We Can Do This Campaign
“Been there, done that.” But staying on top of the facts, vaccinations, and level of spread in the community is still important to keep your family and communities safe. In fact, updated vaccines that can better protect against the highly transmissible Omicron variant and its sub variants are now available in the United States.
Here is what you should know about the updated covid-19 vaccines:
First, complete the primary series of a covid-19 vaccine. While more than 224 million Americans have been vaccinated, many could still get protection by completing a primary series with any of the available vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, or Novavax. Covid-19 vaccines are available to everyone age 6 months or older living in the United States at no cost.
Updated vaccines provide extra protection
Recently, both Pfizer and Moderna have updated their vaccines to target the Omicron strains of the covid-19 virus that are causing nearly all covid-19 infections in the United States. Updated vaccines are available to anyone age 12 or older who has already completed the primary vaccination series. As the virus continues to change, vaccines will be updated annually to target the dominant variant.
Updated vaccines are now available
Updated vaccines are available for free and they are easy and convenient to get. Most people will now be able to get one covid-19 vaccine, once a year, each fall. Just like your annual flu shot, get an updated covid-19 vaccine sometime between Labor Day and the end of October.
Anyone age 12 or older who has completed a primary series can get an updated vaccine regardless of whether they previously had zero, one, or more boosters. As long as at least two months have passed since the last dose, it is safe to get an updated vaccine.
Community spread matters
While being up to date on vaccinations provides the best protection from severe illness, hospitalization, and death from covid-19, additional actions can further lower the risk of these complications, especially when covid-19 is increasing in your community.
Risk of severe illness and death
Vaccines, including the updated covid-19 vaccine, provide strong protection against hospitalization and death from covid-19. Vaccination also reduces the spread of covid-19 and the emergence of new variants, further reducing risk for the entire community, especially those most vulnerable to covid-19 risks.
For more information and to find a vaccine, visit www.vaccines.gov.
