My husband is now better protected again.

I think this is his 5th COVID shot since January 2021.
Working for a hospital, he was one of the first Americans to get the vaccine.
Due to my age, I was unable to get vaccinated for COVID until May 2021.
Being a senior, he was now eligible for his 3rd booster. This booster has been available for certain groups since late April 2023.

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Older adults and adults with immunocompromising conditions now have the option of getting more COVID protection from an additional dose of the updated bivalent vaccine. FDA has authorized and CDC now recommends an additional bivalent booster dose for those 65 and older and for those with immunocompromising conditions. Monovalent vaccines are no longer available.

The bivalent booster first became available in September 2022 around Labor Day. And we know that the efficacy of mRNA vaccines wanes with time. My husband and I both got that booster shot together last October.

An additional vaccine dose restores immunity. Many people are now more than six months out from their last bivalent vaccine dose. As a couple, we are (were). Meanwhile, many others have not had even one bivalent COVID vaccine dose. The CDC suggests all (regardless of your age) receive the new bivalent booster; even those who had been fully vaccinated with two doses of the original mRNA vaccine in 2020 through 2022.

Bivalent means it's half original strain and half Omicron BA.4/BA.5. MRNA COVID vaccines trigger antibodies to spike protein. And although BA.4 and BA.5 are different subvariants and have different mutations, their spike protein just happens to be the same. So that's why this new bivalent vaccine targets both.

FDA says it intends to address additional boosters for those younger than 65 when their advisory committee VRBPAC meets in June. And at that time, FDA will also address any needed changes and the strains included in the vaccine. Changing the strains for a vaccine that's already been studied isn't new. We do this for flu vaccine every year.

Omicron subvariants are still dominant. XBB.1.5 accounts for more than 78% of circulating strains. Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 (which the bivalent shot targets) are history at this point. XBB.1.16 is now on the rise. And it accounts for 7.2% of new infections nationwide.

In the United States, COVID still kills about 1,300 people each week. There's still over 100,000 new COVID cases and more than 1,600 hospitalizations for COVID each week. Older adults have higher rates of hospitalization than younger adults. COVID continues to be a very real risk for many people, which is why FDA and CDC encourages everyone to stay current on vaccination.

However, only 16.7% of the U.S. population has received a dose of the updated booster. And only about 43% of those 65 and older have received the bivalent booster.

After the federal government ended the COVID Emergency on May 11th, there is no longer any published, updated data concerning how many seniors (and the immunocompromised) have received this CDC recommended second Bivalent Booster. If only around 40% of those over 65 have previously received an initial bivalent booster, I would guess the uptake of a second booster would be much, much lower. However, all of our close friends and acquaintances - in the eligible categories - have got their second Omicron booster. So, what do I know??? Who gets vaccinated is more important than who doesn't. It seems like those, who chose to get the Omicron booster, may be repeating their choice to stay safe. Now, my husband has his most recent booster, too. That is good.

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A COVID booster shot will be available in the Fall for those under 65 years old.
I will be getting that shot. If we wait 4 months from my DH's getting this latest booster, my husband and I will be able to get vaccinated together in the Fall. That will probably be in the October or November.

COVID vaccines protect from severe disease. COVID vaccines can keep you out of the hospital and save your life.

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Finding a place locally - that now offers COVID boosters - has become increasingly more difficult. The state, where we live, has had slow vaccine uptake. The state had to throw away a tremendous number of unused COVID vaccine doses originally provided by the federal government.
So that may be why.

However, when everyone - of all ages - are again eligible for a booster (along with a Flu shot) in the Fall, maybe there will again be more widespread COVID shot availability. Interestingly, although you can get a COVID vaccination by advance appointment at the local health department, the COVID shot is not listed as being an available vaccine there. Oddly, almost every other everyday or travel vaccine - that most adults and children will ever need (excluding Yellow Fever) - are listed as being available on the health department's Website. COVID vaccinations are not. Nevertheless, with a 2 week advance appointment, my husband had his choice of Moderna or Pfizer. So, there was no problem with his getting another booster.

Unlike in the past, the shot was not free this time.