New COVID boosters becoming more available in Vanderburgh Co. and Ind.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - The next round of COVID-19 boosters are continuing to rollout for residents in the Tri-State.

The latest one will target the original strain of the virus and the BA.5 omicron variant.

You can get the booster if you’ve already had the original doses, or if you’re at least two months out from your last booster.

At the Vanderburgh County Health Department, they’ve got the Pfizer vaccine available, which can be given to anyone over the age of 12.

Administrator Joe Gries says they hope this round of boosters can help folks deal with the colder months.

”Our numbers are coming down right, now but we’re coming into the fall and winter seasons, so we’re going to maybe see an uptick. Hopefully this new booster will help people be protected from those variants,” said Gries.

The Indiana Department of Health has added locations that are offering the new bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccines to its map at www.ourshot.in.gov.

Appointments are not yet available online but can be made by contacting a pharmacy or healthcare provider, or by calling 211 (866-211-9966).

Additional locations will be added as vaccine shipments continue to arrive in the state.

The FDA authorized the bivalent boosters on Aug. 31, and the CDC endorsed their use Sept. 1.

“The Omicron variant has been the main cause of COVID-19 infections for months, so having a vaccine that specifically targets this variant as well as the Delta variant will help keep Hoosiers healthier as we enter the fall and winter, when respiratory illnesses often increase,” said State Health Commissioner Kris Box, M.D., FACOG. “I encourage individuals who are eligible to consider getting the new COVID-19 booster when they schedule their annual flu shot and make protecting themselves against COVID-19 part of their annual healthcare strategy.”

The Pfizer bivalent booster is authorized for individuals age 12 and older, while the Moderna bivalent booster is available to individuals age 18 and older.

Online scheduling for boosters is expected to be available later this month.

Officials say booster doses have been shown to increase protection from hospitalization and death due to COVID-19.

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