Fall is here, the weather is cooling down and with the new season comes flu season. But there are other challenges up ahead.
Over the past few months, COVID-19 cases have been decreasing in New York City. However, as we approach the country’s third fall with COVID-19, the combination of waning COVID-19 immunity and encroaching colder weather will see more people taking shelter indoors and could start the upward trend of positive cases.
The best way to prevent an overwhelming flu season that runs alongside COVID is to get vaccinated.
Updated boosters
Since September 2022, the new updated bivalent boosters have been available at NYC Health + Hospitals facilities, local pharmacies, through healthcare providers, and through at-home vaccination for eligible New Yorkers. The updated bivalent boosters provide new and better protection against the Omicron COVID Variant and its subvariants that account for nearly all recent infections in NYC.
The new booster has been authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for everyone 12 years of age and older who completed their COVID-19 primary vaccine series or received a booster shot at least two months previously. Available boosters include the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine formulations.
The updated bivalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine booster is authorized for use as a single booster dose in individuals 18 years of age and older. The updated bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine booster is authorized for use as a single booster dose in individuals 12 years of age and older.
Available updated boosters
| Who is recommended for an updated bivalent booster? | When should eligible individuals receive an updated bivalent, booster shot? | |
|---|---|---|
| Pfizer-BioNTech |
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| Moderna |
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New Yorkers can check with their providers to see if they are offering updated boosters or search through the Vaccine Finder tool online for locations offering shots.
Stay informed
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
COVID-19: Vaccine
New York State Department of Health
Booster Doses
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CDC Recommends the First Updated COVID-19 Booster
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
COVID-19 Bivalent Vaccine Boosters