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New Covid vaccines were approved by U.S. regulators last week amid a continuing surge of the virus.
The updated shots are designed to target the latest Omicron variants, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended them for Americans aged six months and older.
After getting the OK from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), major manufacturers Pfizer and Moderna are slated to begin shipping immediately. Pfizer said the vaccines will be available in pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics nationwide in the coming days.
In a blog post, Moderna echoed that timeframe. A third manufacturer, Novavax, said last week that it is working with the FDA as the agency considers authorizing its latest formula vaccine for emergency use.
“Novavax’s intent is to provide access to our vaccine as a choice for consumers this season,” President and CEO John Jacobs said, in a statement.
Covid cases have spiked around the country, ahead of peak season with CDC data showing testing positivity rates hovering at around 18 percent in August - although fewer Americans are testing. Emergency department visits and hospitalizations were also up this month.
A CDC tracker, which now largely relies on wastewater data, showed the country’s primary variant is an Omicron offshoot - KP.3.1.1. The new vaccines will target Omicron subtype KP.2, but KP.3.1.1 is closely enough related that the vaccines offer cross-protection.
Health officials say getting vaccinated is especially important for certain groups. This includes those 65 and older; people who have yet to receive a vaccine; people who live in long-term care facilities; those risk of severe infection; and women who are pregnant, may become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
However, under specific circumstances, the CDC advises some Americans to wait before getting the new shots.
If you just recovered from Covid, you may consider delaying your vaccine by three months.
In addition, if you have, or have recently had, multisystem inflammatory syndrome, the CDC says you should wait to get vaccinated until after recovery and until 90 days have passed since the diagnosis of MIS-A or MIS-C: the types of the syndrome in adults and children.
There are other reasons to wait. Vaccine protection wanes over time, and people may choose to hit pause before the next Covid wave hits. Respiratory viruses spread more easily indoors and cold air may weaken resistance to such viruses, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
The variants that spread could still change in the next few months, too.
However, it is important to stay up to date with the vaccines to reduce risk and decrease the chance of contracting long Covid, according to the CDC. Side effects from the updated shots are similar to previous vaccines, as is the manufacturing process. The benefits of the vaccines outweigh the risks, the federal health body says.
With reporting from The Associated Press
