PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The Rhode Island Department of Health said updated COVID-19 booster vaccines will start to become available as early as this week.
Local pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens are already starting to schedule appointments for the boosters.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now recommending that everyone ages 12 and up gets the new boosters at least two months after their last dose if they have received the primary series. The Pfizer bivalent booster is recommended for ages 12 and up, while the new Moderna booster is recommended for ages 18 and up.
The new vaccines are bivalent, meaning they target two strains of COVID-19: both the original SARS-CoV-2 and the current omicron variant causing the most cases, making it “more comprehensive,” health officials said.
Residents in long-term care facilities and assisted living facilities will be prioritized in receiving the boosters, according to the Health Department.
To learn more about new booster vaccine availability, visit Vaccines.Gov or contact your primary care provider. For more information about COVID-19, visit covid.ri.gov.
