JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colorado — The new omicron boosters have arrived at a clinic in Colorado.
Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) announced Wednesday that the bivalent booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are now available at their clinic in Lakewood located at 645 Parfet St.
According to the release, all authorized COVID-19 vaccines, including pediatric doses for everyone older than six months, are available from JCPH. All other vaccines including Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, are also available. Their COVID-19 walk-in clinic is open Monday-Thursday from 7:30 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m.
The new booster doses, also known as omicron doses or boosters, have been updated to target both the original strain of the virus as well as the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, which according to the release, will help ensure better protection against the virus.
According to the release, the boosters are a combined dose of the original vaccine and the new formulation, which is why they are called bivalent. All viruses continue to mutate over time, so it is common practice to adapt vaccines to attack any new strain of a virus, similar to the practice of developing the flu vaccine every year, the release said.
“The BA.4 and BA.5 variants make up the majority of the cases we’re seeing in our community, and previous boosters were not as effective against these variants,” said Dr. Sarah Rowan, Medical Director at JCPH.
“The announcement of the new omicron boosters is an important step toward better protection against COVID-19 in our community, especially as we head into fall and begin to see typical increases in the spread of respiratory viruses."
Pfizer and Moderna's omicron doses have been cleared by the Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Pfizer's bivalent booster is available to people ages 12 and older, and the Moderna bivalent booster is available to ages 18 and older.
The new boosters are also currently being evaluated for other pediatric groups. However, children too young to receive the new booster can still receive a third dose of the original vaccine, if they are eligible. More information on eligibility can be found at covid19.colorado.gov.
“The omicron doses use the same science and technology as the original mRNA vaccines that have been safely administered to millions of people. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and we know they have drastically reduced the toll of COVID-19 on our community,” said Christine Billings, director of emergency preparedness and infectious disease at JCPH. “We strongly encourage everyone who is eligible to get your omicron booster and to continue to do your part to protect yourself and loved ones.”
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