The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently approved an emergency use authorization for children as young as five years old to be able to get the new bivalent booster shot.
The authorization, issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), includes the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. Kids aged five to 11 can now get the Pfizer vaccine and anyone six and older can get the Moderna shot.
Authorities say anyone getting these vaccines has to wait two months after getting the initial booster vaccination.
The updated booster shots may be available from some Connecticut providers as soon as today.
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The state Department of Public Health said they've already provided updated booster shot guidance to providers including pediatrician practices, hospitals, health networks and pharmacies.
Health officials suggest checking the following locations to get vaccinated:
- Pediatricians’ offices: Pediatricians will be administering COVID-19 vaccines across Connecticut. However, not all pediatricians will have the COVID-19 vaccine, so if your child’s provider doesn’t offer the updated COVID-19 booster, please refer to one of the other options provided.
- Pharmacies: There will be hundreds of pharmacy locations that are offering the COVID-19 vaccine to children. Pharmacies provide a safe, convenient, and easy location to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Additionally, pharmacies have provided special trainings for their pharmacist staff to administer vaccines for younger children.
- Other locations: In addition to the above, several health systems and local health departments will be offering the updated COVID-19 boosters for children.
- DPH Yellow Van Clinics: DPH organizes mobile, COVID-19 vaccine clinics through its Yellow Vans program. The updated clinic schedule can be found here or by visiting ct.gov/coronavirus.
- Residents also are encouraged to visit vaccines.gov to find a convenient location for the updated booster.
Public Health Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani said the timing of the emergency use authorization couldn't be better, stressing that respiratory viruses are especially prominent during colder months.
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"Now is the time to receive an extra level of protection which targets these variants and prevents transmission of this virus," Juthani said in a statement.
The updated booster shots protect against the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron variants.
