Need a new COVID-19 vaccine booster? No problem if it’s not Moderna – Daily News

If you want a new COVID-19 booster that protects against the latest circulating Omicron variant, there are plenty of options for pre-orders, unless you have your heart set on Moderna.

Those hoping to get their hands on Moderna’s version of the new bivalent booster instead of Pfizer may need to travel.

Pfizer’s boosters have been available in San Jose since Sept. 27, but Kaiser’s online scheduler tells members that “the supply of Moderna’s bivalent boosters is temporarily delayed.”

“Sorry, we couldn’t find a Moderna reservation within 25 miles,” Walgreens’ online scheduler reported a downtown San Jose zip code.

CVS? Lite Aid? No – derna.

A new “bivalent” booster, approved by the federal government earlier this month, protects against both the original strain of coronavirus and its latest Omicron variants, BA.4 and BA.5. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended a booster dose on September 1 for anyone over the age of 12 who has had at least two months since her last COVID-19 vaccination. For anyone who has recently contracted COVID-19, he recommends waiting 3 months before getting a booster.

But this week, in the Bay Area Vaccine Hunters Facebook group, members asked for tips on available Moderna dosages and complained about the cancellation.

“I made a booster reservation for Moderna at Safeway in Berkeley this Sunday,” a member who wished to remain anonymous posted, adding that his disability prevents him from traveling very far.

“They sent me a cancellation email because they’re out of Moderna. I’ll buy a Pfizer if I need to, but I think Moderna would be better, but I have a Moderna appointment for this weekend. Does anyone know where in Berkeley they are?”

The poster said he prefers Moderna.

If you just want an injection of Moderna, there are divalent booster appointments available if you look around. One place that has had no problems with supply is the Santa Clara County health system, which had online reservations for Moderna’s bivalent booster full of next week on Thursday.

Dr. Jennifer Tong, deputy chief medical officer at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, said it’s partly because it’s supplied by both the state and federal governments. Pharmacies are supplied directly by the federal government through the vaccine program.

“We have received enough to last for at least the next three weeks,” Tong said. “We’ve placed another order, so I don’t expect any shortages.”

Santa Clara County Distribution of new boosters starting on September 7th Reservations continue to fill and we are seeing strong demand. Recent vaccine rollouts have targeted a more limited population, Tong said, but the latest booster is available to all adults, and Pfizer’s booster is available to children aged 12 and older.

“There seems to be a higher level of interest because more people are qualified for it,” Tong said. “But given the high percentage of people currently eligible in our county, the level of interest we’re seeing is what we’d expect.”

Moderna’s press office did not respond Thursday to questions about the shortage of boosters in the Bay Area, and the company has not made any recent statements indicating production or distribution problems. to the federal online scheduler. However, it does indicate that it is currently available at some pharmacies that don’t actually carry the shots.

Spokeswoman Monica Prinzing said, “Some CVS pharmacy locations have administered all of the Moderna bivalent COVID-19 vaccines they have received from the federal government to date.”

“We are working with the government to increase Moderna dosages and continue to offer limited Moderna appointments with Pfizer via CVS.com and the CVS Pharmacy app,” said Prinzing. “Appointments will be updated as supplies are received.”

Kaiser Permanente said in a statement that the health plan “is administering bivalent boosters as supplies permit and in accordance with CDC clinical guidance.”

“We have state-of-the-art booster delivery throughout Northern California and frequently add bookings as supply arrives on site,” Kaiser continued. Check kp.org for availability.”

At the Santa Clara County vaccine clinic, Tong said people seeking boosters don’t like one brand or another. And she said there was no reason to do so.

“At the moment, there is no medical reason for one or the other,” Tong said. “Our advice is that people consider getting what they have available.”

That’s what happened with the Berkeley booster seeker. After investigating the response to her plea to the Bay Area Vaccine Hunters, she finally decided to give Pfizer a try.

“I’ve heard people more educated than me say there are potential benefits to mix-and-match,” she told one respondent. ! ”

https://www.dailynews.com/2022/09/16/want-the-new-covid-19-vaccine-booster-no-problem-unless-its-got-to-be-moderna/ Need a new COVID-19 vaccine booster? No problem if it’s not Moderna – Daily News

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