Are You ‘Up to Date’? Here’s a Summary of the Latest COVID Vaccine News

 Written by:  Luana Scanlan, MBA PRIME 
The first COVID vaccines were approved for use and mass distributed in the U.S. mid-2021. The first booster was approved at the beginning of 2022 as researchers found the original vaccines losing their effectiveness over time. Between 2019 and 2022 SARS-COVID 19 mutated thousands of times, but only four variants were concerning enough for researchers to develop specific vaccines to minimize their ability to cause severe disease (Epicentre.org.za).
Recently the FDA and CDC approved an updated Omicron-specific COVID booster to target the dominant BA.4 and BA.5 strains circulating worldwide.  The only bivalent boosters currently authorized are Pfizer for those 12 and older, and Moderna for those 18 and older.  This is the first time these mRNA vaccines have been updated.
The updated booster is bivalent meaning it’s half original strain, and half Omicron BA.4, BA.5 (Fryhofer, 2022).  The booster provides antibody protection for at least six months and demonstrated effectiveness for up to nine months in people with or without past COVID infections.  Estimated booster effectiveness against severe COVID-19 was 87.4% (Ng et al., 2022).
The CDC recommends that everyone aged 12 and older receive the new booster but you must be ‘up to date’ with your vaccines first.  You are up to date and fully protected if you have received the first two primary shots of any COVID vaccine product, plus at least one booster. If you’ve already had COVID, you should get the updated booster after you’ve recovered and at least 3 months after testing negative.
In a recent California study, 56% of participants (N=210) who were infected with the Omicron variant were unaware of the infection, and only 10% reported symptoms, most of which were mild (Joung et al., 2022). 94% of participants had at least one COVID vaccine.  Experiences like these may deter people from getting the updated vaccine. However, the CDC, FDA, World Health Organization recommend getting the new booster in preparation for future mutations.  Like the flu, annual shots are recommended going into ‘flu season’.  Each year the flu shot is modified for specific mutations in the flu virus. Experts predict that COVID will become the new ‘flu’ with annual shots recommended for protection.
The following are the CDC’s current vaccination recommendations:
AGE
1ST SHOT
2ND SHOT *
1ST BOOSTER
UPDATED BOOSTER

6 mos.-4 years
Primary series – any vaccine
8 weeks after 1st shot – Pfizer or Moderna
8 weeks after 2nd shot
No recommendation

5 – 11 years
Primary series – any vaccine
8 weeks after 1st shot – Pfizer or Moderna
5 months after 2nd shot
8 weeks after 1st booster (if Pfizer in 2nd shot must use for this booster)

12 – 17 years
Primary series – any vaccine
8 weeks after 1st shot – Pfizer or Moderna
2 months after 2nd shot (Pfizer only)
8 weeks after 1st booster (Pfizer only)

18 – 49 years
Primary series – any vaccine
8 weeks after 1st shot – Pfizer or Moderna
2 months after 2nd shot – either product
2 months after 2nd shot – either product

50 years and older
Primary series – any vaccine
Pfizer 21 days after 1st shot
Moderna 28 days after 1st shot
2 months after 2nd shot – either product
2 months after 2nd shot – either product

*CDC recommends NOT mixing products in your primary series – if you received Pfizer or Moderna in the first shot, you get the same product for the 2nd shot.  Click on these links for more information:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html#footnote01
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-(covid-19)-vaccines?adgroupsurvey={adgroupsurvey}&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI__aBjvmN-gIV2HRvBB2cYQ7PEAAYAiAAEgJ7KfD_BwE
Daignault, M., Gandhi, M. (2022). CDC’s Booster Recommendations May Not Provide Optimal Protection. Time (Sept. 6). https://time.com/6211075/covid-19-vaccine-omicron-boosters/
Fryhoffer, S. (2022). New Omicron boosters available from Pfizer and Moderna. AMA (Sept. 8). https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/new-omicron-boosters-available-pfizer-and-moderna-sandra-fryhofer-md
Joung SY, Ebinger JE, Sun N, et al. Awareness of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant Infection Among Adults With Recent COVID-19 Seropositivity. JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(8):e2227241. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.27241
Ng OT, Marimuthu K, Lim N, et al. Analysis of COVID-19 Incidence and Severity Among Adults Vaccinated With 2-Dose mRNA COVID-19 or Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines With and Without Boosters in Singapore. JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(8):e2228900.
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