The truth about vaccines

The New Updated COVID-19 Vaccines Are Available. Here's What To Know

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 20: Pfizer CEO Dr. Albert Bourla speaks after U.S. Health and Human ... [+] Services Secretary Xavier Becerra (R) received an updated COVID-19 booster and a flu shot at a local CVS Pharmacy September 20, 2023 in Washington, DC. HHS held the event to promote the Bridge Access Program for uninsured adults and to encourage people to get updated COVID-19 booster shots. Also pictured, L-R, Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel and CVS Pharmacy manager Mirtha Morris. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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Newly updated COVID-19 vaccines are available across the United States.

Two mRNA vaccines, Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, have been FDA approved and are available across most pharmacies in America. The Novavax protein-based vaccine has been FDA approved and should be available shortly across pharmacies and health clinics across America.

The mRNA vaccines target the KP.2 strain of COVID-19, a member of the Omicron family that resulted in a number of COVID-19 infections during the summer surge. The protein-based vaccine targets an earlier strain of the Omicron variant known as JN.1.

Who Should Get Vaccinated?

The CDC recommends everyone age 6 months and older receive the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccines still offer maximum protection against severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Research shows since the start of the pandemic, vaccinations prevented more than 14 million deaths.

Individuals that are at greater risk for COVID-19 should seriously consider getting the shot in order to protect themselves from severe infection and hospitalization. These include those that are 65 years of age and older, those with chronic medical conditions such as heart and lung disease as well as those with compromised immune systems such as diabetics, organ transplant recipients and those taking certain medications like steroids.

The decision on whether to get vaccinated should be an individual one based on a plethora of factors; including but not limited to age, underlying medical conditions, immunity and history of previous vaccinations and COVID-19 infections. Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine expert from the University of Pennsylvania, states, "Were I a 35-year-old healthy adult who'd already had several doses of vaccine and one or two natural infections, I wouldn't feel compelled to get it."

Why Get Vaccinated?

The COVID-19 virus is constantly changing with new variants that can cause infection in humans, irrespective of vaccination and prior infection status. Thus, the best protection against new COVID-19 variants remains getting updated vaccines yearly. This is similar to how annual flu shots are recommended to protect against the various strains of the flu that are felt to be the cause of Influenza infections in the fall and winter.

COVID-19 vaccines usually provide protection against the virus for at least three months and likely up to six months for severe disease, according to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

When Should You Get The Vaccine?

The answer here is tricky and is likely different for everyone and should be based on one's personal situation and risk for severe disease. The most important point to remember is to get the vaccine, not necessarily when.

However, those who are at highest risk for severe disease which include the elderly and immunocompromised individuals should get the vaccine as soon as possible. Those who get the vaccine in September will also likely receive protection from the current summer surge of infections.

For those that have been up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccines in the past and have not had a recent COVID-19 infection, waiting until mid-October could help build protection against the wave of infections that are likely to occur in the winter months. Immunity from vaccination usually takes about two weeks to occur following the shot.

If you have received a recent COVID-19 vaccination, the CDC recommends waiting two months before receiving the updated shot. In addition, if you have recently been infected with COVID-19, you should wait at least three months before getting the updated shot.

Are There Risks With Vaccination?

In general, the vaccines are safe and have minimal side effects. Common side effects are similar to previous shots and include low-grade fever, soreness at the injection site, joint pain and fatigue. Side effects usually subside within a couple of days.

Will Vaccination Protect Against Long COVID?

Long COVID is a chronic condition that occurs after COVID-19 infection with a wide range of symptoms that persist for at least three months. The condition can affect nearly every part of the body, but common symptoms include fatigue, headache, brain fog, dizziness as well as a rapid and pounding heartbeat.

Vaccinations do help prevent against the development of long COVID. There has been a 70% decline in long COVID cases since the beginning of the pandemic which is attributable to vaccinations, according to research from The New England Journal of Medicine. This is mainly because vaccination helps prevent getting infected with COVID-19, and one cannot get long COVID without first getting COVID-19. In addition, vaccination helps prevent severe infection, which is known to be a clear risk factor for long COVID.

Can You Get The Flu Shot At The Same Time As The COVID-19 Vaccine?

Yes. In fact, many public health experts recommend getting both vaccines at the same time during the same visit as this helps people become compliant with vaccinations. Deciding to get vaccinated for both the flu and COVID-19 at separate dates may create a barrier for individuals from actually receiving both shots. In addition, getting both vaccines on the same day does not blunt the immune response from either vaccine.

Is The Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Free?

The newly updated COVID-19 vaccines are still free for those covered by private and public insurance including Medicare. However, the federal government will not cover the cost of the vaccines for those uninsured. Individuals that do not have health insurance can still get the vaccine for free at local and state health department vaccination clinics. Children aged 18 and younger can still get the vaccine free through the CDC's Vaccines for Children Program.

New Updated COVID-19 Vaccines Are Available. When Should You Get It?

The new updated Comirnaty Pfizer COVID mRNA vaccine is seen here next to the Fluzone H,D. Influenza ... [+] vaccine at a Walgreens pharmacy in Torrance, Caifornia, on September 5, 2024. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The newest, updated Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are now available at pharmacies and clinics. The Novavax recombinant protein vaccine should be available soon. All three updated vaccines have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration—that's fully approved by the FDA and not just emergency-use authorized. So, as has been the case each time a new COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, you may have many questions. Here are answers to some of the most common ones.

Should You Get The Updated COVID-19 Vaccine?

If you are less than 6 months of age, congratulations on your ability to read and, no, you do not qualify to get any of the updated vaccines. The Moderna and Pfizer-BioNtech vaccines are FDA-approved for those 6 months and older while the Novavax vaccine is FDA-approved for those 12 years and older.

If on the other hand you are old enough to get the vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that you go ahead and get the updated vaccine. That's unless you have a clear, medical doctor-verified contraindication to the vaccine such having had a severe allergic reaction or a major adverse event like myocarditis after a pervious COVID vaccination. Getting the update can renew your protection against COVID-19. The immune protection offered by the vaccines tends to start waning about four to six months after vaccination. So, if you got the last updated vaccine last Fall, a lot of that protection may have gone bye-bye by now.

Plus, the vaccines from last year targeted previous severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants from 2023 that have since gone the way of skinny jeans and midi skirts. As you have probably figured out by now, new variants have been emerging at the rate of new fashion with a new dominant variant every several months or so.

The latest Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines target the KP.2 Omicron variant that was dominant during the past summer months, whereas the Novavax vaccine targets the JN.1 variant that was widespread even earlier this year. None of the vaccines specifically target the KP.3.1.1 variant, which is the current alpha-dog variant. But the targets of these updated vaccines are significantly closer to what's going on now than what was targeted by vaccines from previous years. Therefore, these updated vaccines should offer stronger protection against the currently circulating variants.

It's especially important to get these updated vaccines if you are at higher risk of getting more severe COVID-19. That would be the case if you have a weaker immune system from being over 65 years of age, having a chronic medical condition or getting medical treatment that suppresses your immune system.

The protection offered by the COVID-19 vaccines tends to wane after four to six months. So if you ... [+] last got the COVID vaccine or infected with the SARS-CoV-2 before 2024, your immune protection may not be very high right now. (Photo by Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images)

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For most adults the protective benefits of getting the updated vaccines far, far outweigh the risks. More major side effects such as myocarditis from the vaccines have been quite rare. And by now over 5 billion people, or over 70% of the world's population, have been vaccinated against COVID. Many have gotten vaccinated multiple times.

Now, some have said that the updated COVID vaccine may not be necessary if you are less than 30 years of age and have previously been vaccinated. The argument is that the risk of death, hospitalization and more severe COVID-19 outcomes is no longer high enough for such younger people. It is true that the risk of bad stuff happening from a SARS-CoV-2 infection for anyone is significantly lower now than it was back in 2020 and 2021. That's because our immune systems are no longer so virginal to the SARS-CoV-2, given previous exposure to its spike proteins via vaccination or natural infection.

But it's not as if COVID-19 has become just like a cold. It's not even at the level of the flu yet. The risk of very bad stuff happening is still high enough to merit concern even if you are younger. So it's not as if you should be gesturing "bring it on" toward the virus.

Plus, there is the lingering risk of long COVID after you've supposedly recovered from a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Many political and business leaders may want to make it seem like COVID-19 is no longer a threat and everything is hunky-dory SARS-CoV-2-wise when it's not that way yet. Of course, the best way to avoid long COVID is to not get COVID in the first place, and evidence suggests that the vaccines may reduce your risk of getting long COVID.

When Should You Get The Updated COVID-19 Vaccine?

The answer to this question is a little tricky. Since around mid-June, we have been in the midst of a COVID surge. So, it may help to have more protection right now, especially if you aren't doing anything else, like wearing a N95 face mask to keep the SARS-CoV-2 away from your respiratory tract.

The trouble, though, is the whole "wane world" thing. Again, the protection from the vaccine tends to wane significantly after four to six months. Counting forward by four months will land you in January 2025. By then the world around you will be smack in the middle of the winter months if you are in the Northern Hemisphere. And remember, since 2020, every mid-November has seen the start of a major winter COVID surge. Who's to say this November will be different, as the colder and drier air, the movement of activities indoors and the holiday travel could once again contribute to greater SARS-CoV-2 transmission and spread.

Therefore, if you want to get maximal protection throughout much of the anticipated winter surge, it may make sense to wait until mid-October to get the updated COVID vaccine. This is the typical recommendation for the flu vaccine as well. So next month you could get the flu and COVID vaccines.

Also, if you recently got vaccinated or infected with the virus then the CDC recommendation is to wait at least until three months has passed. This could allow your immune system enough time to fully collect itself again and then deliver a more full response to the updated vaccine.

Which Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Should You Get?

The Novavax COVID vaccines use a more traditional recombinant protein approach that can serve as an ... [+] alternative for people who are hesitant about getting an mRNA vaccine. (Photo by Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images)

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If you are still a bit squeamish about the newer mRNA technology despite all its testing and use over the past four years, you may feel more comfortable with the more traditional approach of the Novavax vaccine. While the mRNA vaccines contain mRNA that then go into your cells and serve as blueprints for you cells to produce the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, the Novavax vaccine includes a version of the spike protein itself. To manufacture the spike protein, Novavax uses the same process that has been long utilized for vaccines—such as the Hepatitis B vaccine—that have been around for many years.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are pretty darn similar. The main difference is that the Moderna vaccines have higher doses of mRNA in them, which could mean a somewhat higher rate of side effects like fever, fatigue and body aches in the days after vaccination. The Moderna vaccines could offer a slightly higher degree of protection as a result, too. But there really isn't a slam dunk protection difference between the two mRNA vaccines.

How Will You Pay For The Updated COVID-19 Vaccine?

There is also the question of money. The government used to pay for all the vaccines, including boatloads of money to the pharmaceutical companies to develop and manufacture the vaccines. But that's no longer completely the case. Plus, Pfizer and Moderna have—surprise, surprise—since pushed up the prices of their vaccines several-fold, to over $100. So, first check to see if your insurance—if you have it— will cover the cost of your vaccine of interest. If it doesn't or if you are uninsured, you may be able to find a clinic that still offers the vaccine at low to no cost.

One final thing to remember. The vaccine's protection offered against more severe COVID-19 is not 100%, and you can still catch the virus if exposed, although your chances may be lower after vaccination.

Moreover, the chances of the virus being transmitted to you does depend on how many people around you have gotten the latest vaccines, too. Only about 22% of eligible adults got the last set of COVID-19 vaccine updates from fall 2023. That doesn't bode well for many people getting this latest set of updates, which means that the majority of people around you could end up being relatively unprotected against the COVID-19, be readily infected and, as a result, shed the virus in larger amounts.

Therefore, even if you do get the updated vaccine, it is still a good idea to take other precautions simultaneously. Remember a few years the so-called "Swiss cheese" approach of layering different protections on top of each other to cover the holes in each type of protection. Even though the COVID-19 situation has improved significantly since then, 2024 is not necessarily a hole different situation.

Stay Up To Date On Vaccines For Fewer Sick Days As We Head Into Colder Months

What You Need To Know: Staying up to date on vaccines reduces the risk of serious illness and helps prevent sick days – it's a simple step and the best defense against respiratory viruses, such as Influenza (flu), COVID-19 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). 

Limiting the spread of respiratory viruses helps everyone, especially vulnerable members of our community like children, older adults and those who are immunocompromised. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is encouraging all Californians to get vaccinated this season to protect themselves and their loved ones from respiratory viruses. Respiratory infections like flu, COVID-19, and RSV are common during the fall and winter seasons, and getting immunized against these diseases has been proven safe and effective in preventing serious illness and death in children and adults.

"It's time to start preparing for the fall and winter virus season, and that means getting immunized against flu, COVID-19, and RSV," said Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer. "Taking this step means fewer sick days and more time with your loved ones. We are stronger when we are all protected against respiratory diseases."

Recommended Vaccines: Updated 2024-2025 flu and COVID-19 vaccines are recommended for everyone 6 months and older. RSV immunizations are recommended for eligible pregnant people, older adults, infants and toddlers. As always, talk to your healthcare provider about which vaccines are right for you and your family.

• Flu: Everyone 6 months and older should get vaccinated against the flu annually, ideally before the end of October.

• COVID-19: The updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine will be increasingly available throughout California beginning in September for everyone 6 months and older. The updated vaccine is expected to protect against circulating variants throughout the winter. 

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• RSV: RSV most often spreads between October through March. The following groups should get immunized:

◦ Adults aged 75 and older; and adults aged 60-74 are at increased risk.

◦ Pregnant people who are 32-36 weeks pregnant from September through January.

◦ Babies younger than 8 months and children ages 8-19 months who are at high risk for severe RSV.

 The RSV vaccine is not currently an annual vaccine, so adults who have already received a dose do not need another dose. 

Scheduling: Flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines can all be administered during the same visit. Schedule a vaccine appointment by visiting MyTurn.Ca.Gov, or contacting your local pharmacy or health care provider. 

Cost: Flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines will be covered for most people through their health insurance plans, including Medi-Cal and regular health care providers. Those having difficulty obtaining vaccines can contact their health care provider or local health department for help finding a place to get immunized.

Vaccines For Children (VFC) program is a federally funded program that provides vaccines at no cost to children (18 and younger) who might not otherwise be vaccinated because of an inability to pay. Contact your doctor to learn if they are enrolled in VFC or visit MyTurn to find a location based on your eligibility. 

Additional Layers of Virus Prevention​: In addition to vaccines, people can follow simple actions to prevent viruses from spreading:

• Stay Home When Sick: Staying home when you're sick prevents the spread of flu, COVID-19, RSV and even the common cold.

• Test and Treat: Test for COVID-19 and flu if you have symptoms (like fever, chills, runny nose, cough, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, stomach issues). If you test positive, contact your health care provider, and ask about prescription medications, which work best when started right after symptoms begin. Learn more about treatments for both COVID-19 and flu.

• Wear a High-quality Mask (N95, KN95, KF94) in Indoor Public Places: Wearing a mask significantly reduces the spread of respiratory viruses, especially in crowded or poorly ventilated spaces. 

• Wash Hands: Wash hands throughout the day with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

• Cover Coughs and Sneezes: Remember to cough or sneeze into your elbow, your arm, or a disposable tissue to help prevent the spread of viruses. Wash or sanitize your hands and dispose of your tissue after.

• Ventilate Indoor Spaces: Good ventilation helps reduce the spread of viruses. If it is safe to do so, open doors and windows as much as possible to bring in fresh outdoor air. This can help keep virus particles from building up indoors. 

 Get more information about respiratory virus prevention by visiting CDPH's Respiratory Viruses webpage: www.Cdph.Ca.Gov

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