New COVID-19 booster shots coming to a pharmacy near you
The hope is that these shots will improve protection against the currently circulating viruses that cause Covid-19.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- There's a new kind of Covid-19 shot coming to a pharmacy or clinic near you.
The US Food and Drug Administration and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off on updated boosters that target the original strain of the coronavirus as well as the Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5. The hope is that these shots will improve protection against the currently circulating viruses that cause Covid-19.
"We still have to worry about long COVID, so we have to make sure we're doing what we can to protect ourselves at the highest level possible," said Dr. Delana Wardlaw of Temple Health.
The new bivalent booster will replace the former booster shot for individuals over the age of 12.
The Moderna bivalent booster is for those 18 years and older and the Pfizer booster is for those 12 years and older.
This new booster is not yet authorized for children under the age of 12, so they will receive the original booster instead.
"I think we all as human beings, when the medical profession recommends something, I think we all should get it, listen to what they're saying," said James Baffa of Broomall.
"I want to see how the numbers work and I want to see the efficacy and see if there's any side effects of the new one," said Marianne of Delaware County. "So I'm going to wait."
New Jersey is expected to receive the new shots in the coming days.
Delaware already received 5,100 doses, with more on the way.
In Montgomery County, the booster will be distributed as early as Thursday.
In Delaware County, you can already make an appointment to receive the bivalent shot at participating pharmacies.
"If people are ready to go right now, they should go to vaccines.gov and put in their zip code and click that they want, the Pfizer Comirnaty or Moderna Spikevax, and they can see where they can get it," said Lora Werner, deputy director of the Delaware County Health Department.
The City of Philadelphia will receive 41,000 doses later this week.
CNN Wire contributed to this report.
