New COVID-19 (bivalent) boosters for children ages 5 and older are now authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The updated COVID-19 vaccines are Pfizer-BioNTech for children ages 5 through 11 years, and Moderna for children and adolescents ages 6 through 17. An updated COVID-19 vaccine schedule for babies 6 months through adults 18+ years is now available, here.
Updated COVID-19 booster vaccines contain added spike protein components to help restore protection that has since waned from prior vaccination, targeting recent Omicron variants that are more transmissible and immune-evading. The Moderna and Pfizer bivalent vaccine is authorized for administration at least two months following the primary series or booster completion.
Orange County has a Test Positivity Percent of 6.4% and 125 persons are hospitalized with COVID-19, representing a decrease over the past several weeks. A spike in European COVID-19 cases, however, has scientists in the U.S. urging Americans to take preventative measures as Europe has often been a precursor for what's to happen in the United States.
As the weather cools and more people spend time indoors, where the virus spreads more rapidly, the risk for resurgence increases. There are many ways individuals actions can protect the OC community by following CDC prevention recommendations, found here.
FDA’s authorization of the updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccine booster for the younger age group, and CDC’s recommendation for use, are critical next steps to help provide increased protection – especially against severe COVID-19 disease and death.
Ask your primary care providers for pediatric bivalent boosters. You can also find information on vaccine locations by visiting www.vaccines.gov or www.myturn.ca.gov. Scheduling appointments can also be done directly by visiting www.othena.com.
For more information on the COVID-19 case counts in Orange County and other resources, visit www.ochealthinfo.com/covid.