TODAY, Wednesday, Sept. 7, redesigned booster shots targeting the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants of Covid-19 will be rolled out in the CNMI, the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation said.
These updated Omicron booster shots, otherwise known as bivalent shots, are for individuals at least 12 years of age who received the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, and individuals 18 years or older who received the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine.
Individuals younger than these age groups will continue to use current booster shots.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave the green light last week to roll out these Omicron Covid-19 booster shots throughout the nation.
By a vote of 13-1, the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted in favor of these boosters.
In a statement, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the updated Covid-19 boosters are formulated to better protect against the most recently circulating Covid-19 variant.
“The updated Covid-19 boosters are formulated to better protect against the most recently circulating Covid-19 variant. They can help restore protection that has waned since previous vaccination and were designed to provide broader protection against newer variants. This recommendation followed a comprehensive scientific evaluation and robust scientific discussion. If you are eligible, there is no bad time to get your Covid-19 booster and I strongly encourage you to receive it,” said Dr. Walensky.
Not long before the vote by the CDC advisory panel, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the updated vaccinations.
FDA officials said they believe that these shots should be available to a broader population than the previous boosters because they may help the younger demographic avoid long Covid.
In the coming weeks, CDC also expects to recommend updated Covid-19 boosters for other pediatric groups, per the discussion and evaluation of the data by ACIP on Sept. 1. The CDC said when data are available and FDA authorizes these other types of Covid-19 boosters, the CDC will quickly move to help make them available in the U.S.
According to the CNMI Covid-19 online dashboard, 62.8% of the eligible CNMI population, or 23,456 individuals, have received an additional dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.
