What to know about the updated COVID booster in WA
The omicron-specific COVID-19 booster arrived in Washington nearly two months ago, but rates for the shot remain low and questions around eligibility, access and safety continue to pop up.
The updated booster is known as bivalent because it protects against severe illness from both the original virus strain, as well as omicron and its contagious subvariants. Health experts want as many Washingtonians to receive it as possible, hoping to protect communities against possible fall or winter surges.
Pfizer this week said its booster shot tailored to the latest omicron variants appears to offer better protection than the original against dominant versions of the virus, according to Bloomberg.
This week, Dr. Seth Cohen, medical director of infection prevention at UW Medical Center, weighed in on frequently asked booster questions and explained why the new shots could be so important at this time of year.
“It sure seems like demand is slightly less for the booster now than it was last year, and it’s not clear exactly why that is,” Cohen said. “COVID fatigue is a reality and community transmission levels are lower, so people perceive risk to be lower. But that may change when the holidays come around.”
Here’s what to know about the bivalent booster.
Who is eligible to receive the shot?
Everyone who is 5 and older and has completed the primary COVID vaccine series (the first two doses of Moderna, Pfizer or Novavax, or one dose of Johnson & Johnson) is eligible for the updated booster. It’s safe to mix and match vaccine brands, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found.
Updated boosters for people 12 and older have been available since Labor Day weekend.
The U.S. on Wednesday authorized updated boosters for younger children: Pfizer for 5- to 11-year-olds, and a version from Moderna for kids 6 and up.
Where can you get shots — and are appointments available?
Many public health officials recommend first calling your doctor’s office or health care provider to see if they have available vaccination appointments. For those who don’t have a primary care provider, several Seattle medical clinics are offering booster appointments regardless of membership, including:
- Carolyn Downs Family Medical Center
- Cynthia A. Green Family Center (Healthpoint)
- Holly Park Medical Clinic (International Community Health Services)
- International District Medical Clinic
- Northgate South Medical Center (Kaiser Permanente)
- Northshore Medical Center (Kaiser Permanente)
- Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic, both Othello and Central District locations
- Seattle Children’s
- Seattle Medical Clinic (SeaMar)
Health care facilities and pharmacies such as Bartell Drugs, Walgreen’s and CVS are also administering the booster, though finding an appointment can be tricky.
Bartell’s regional pharmacy leader Steve Simon said this week that the drugstore chain is seeing a “huge surge in demand for both flu and updated COVID-19 booster shots.”
Bartell Drugs is booking appointments about three weeks out. Most appointments at Walgreens and other pharmacies are also available about a week out.
At UW Medicine, people are asked to call a vaccine appointment hotline to join a waitlist. While the list was initially quite long, Cohen said teams have caught up with demand in the past few weeks and are able to offer people appointments within a few days of calling.
Public Health — Seattle & King County is also hosting several community vaccination events in Auburn, Renton, Burien, Federal Way, Shoreline and a handful of Seattle neighborhoods over the next two weeks.
On Thursday, vaccination events will be held at the Community Day Center for Children in the Central District (165 22nd Ave., from 1 to 5 p.m.) and the Columbia branch of the Seattle Public Library (4721 Rainier St., from 2 to 5:30 p.m.).
When would you have to get the shot for it to be effective by Thanksgiving?
The booster is generally most effective at least two weeks after administration, Cohen said, so those aiming to be fully protected by Thanksgiving should try to secure an appointment by Nov. 10 at the latest.
Cohen noted, however, that timing shots for a specific event can be risky.
“It can sometimes be like trying to time the stock market,” Cohen said. “It may not be clear when the risk is truly going to impact you.”
If you’ve gotten COVID recently, how long should you wait until getting the updated booster?
The CDC has said people who have had COVID recently could consider waiting 90 days from when they stop testing positive for the virus. The downside to that, Cohen said, is that omicron can frequently cause reinfection.
“If we think there could be a surge in the fall or winter, it may be worthwhile for people to get boosted before the next surge hits,” he said. “… We should try not to waste opportunities to get vaccinated when possible.”
How long after the original booster should you wait to get the updated one? If you didn’t get the initial booster, how long after the primary series should you wait?
You can receive your updated booster if it’s been at least two months since your last dose, regardless of whether it was a primary or a booster dose.
Health experts have said getting a flu shot at the same time as the COVID booster is safe, but how likely is it that I develop other, or worse, side effects?
Not likely at all, Cohen said. At UW Medicine clinics, providers are regularly vaccinating patients against COVID and the flu and have not seen an increase in any additional side effects, he said.
