CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 years and older receive an updated (bivalent) mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of whether they previously completed their (monovalent) primary series.


CDC’s new recommendations also allow an additional updated (bivalent) vaccine dose for adults ages 65 years and older and additional doses for people who are immunocompromised. This allows more flexibility for healthcare providers to administer additional doses to immunocompromised patients as needed.


If you are at least 65 and received your first bivalent booster at least four months ago, you are eligible to get a second one. The CDC says there are about 20 million adults in this age group who received a booster at least four months ago.


If you are immunocompromised and received a bivalent booster at least two months ago, you are also eligible to get a second one. People with weak immune systems can receive additional doses at intervals decided by their doctors.


To read more: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2023/s0419-covid-vaccines.html

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Chasing the Virus

The updated (bivalent) mRNA COVID-19 vaccine was reformulated last August to target the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron subvariants, in addition to the original strain of the virus. BA.4 and BA.5 are no longer in circulation in the U.S.

As of Saturday, roughly 78% of new U.S. Covid cases are caused by the omicron subvariant XBB.1.5, according to the CDC.

Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Toronto, said that while the boosters don’t match the currently circulating strain, they should still provide people with some protection.

A CDC report published in January found that the updated Covid boosters reduced the risk of Covid infection from the XBB.1.5 subvariant by nearly half. Another study, published by Israeli researchers in the Lancet this month, found that the Covid boosters reduced the risk of hospitalization in people 65 and older by 72%.

Neither study, however, looked at the effects of receiving two doses of the bivalent booster.