New COVID vaccines will be available in RI. Here's how to get one.

Staff reports
·4 min read
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The updated COVID-19 vaccine will become increasingly available over the next several weeks at sites throughout Rhode Island, according to the Rhode Island Department of Health.

RIDOH said in a news release that it is recommending that everyone 6 months of age and older get the updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the potentially serious outcomes of COVID-19 illness this fall and winter.

Where to get the vaccine

The 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine will be available in the offices of many primary care providers, pharmacies, federally qualified health centers and other settings. COVID-19 vaccines are available to most adults living in the U.S. at no cost through their health insurance plans. People can get this updated COVID-19 vaccine even if they have never been vaccinated against COVID-19 previously.

Adults without health insurance and adults whose health insurance does not cover COVID-19 vaccine costs can get no-cost COVID-19 vaccines through the Bridge Access Program; visit vaccines.gov to find providers that offer no-cost COVID-19 vaccines.

Why get the updated COVID vaccine?

In addition to preventing serious illness, COVID-19 vaccine can also help prevent the spread of COVID-19 to people who are more vulnerable to the health effects of COVID-19, including older adults and people with underlying health issues. Vaccination also reduces your chance of experiencing Long COVID, which can develop during or following acute infection and last for an extended period of time.

Which variant does it target?

On Monday experts at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the use of this updated COVID-19 vaccine. This vaccine is a monovalent vaccine, meaning that it targets one variant, the Omicron variant XBB.1.5. It is an mRNA vaccine. On Tuesday a group that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), called the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, voted to recommend this vaccine for everyone older than six months of age who has not received a COVID-19 vaccine in the last two months. The CDC accepted this recommendation.

What does COVID look like in RI now? Here's what to know.

Who should get the vaccine?

  • Everyone aged five years and older should get one dose of 2023-2024 Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of previous vaccination history, at least two months after the last dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

  • People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may get additional doses of updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

  • Children from 6 months to 5years of age who have previously been vaccinated against COVID-19 can get one dose of the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine. (If they have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 previously, they may need multiple doses.)

How to prevent respiratory viruses

  • Get your flu shot. Everyone older than 6 months of age should be vaccinated against the flu every year. Vaccine for the 2023-2024 flu season will be available throughout Rhode Island in the coming weeks. You can get a flu shot and a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time.

  • Stay home when sick. Stay home for at least 24 hours after a fever (temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or 37.8 degrees Celsius or higher) is gone. Avoid contact with others, especially older adults and people with underlying health conditions, if you are sick.

  • Wash your hands regularly throughout the day using soap for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol to clean your hands.

  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow, not your hands.

  • Get tested for COVID-19 if you have any of the classic symptoms, like fever or chills, a runny nose, a cough, achiness, or loss of taste or smell. If you or someone you live with tests positive for COVID-19, there are steps you can take to prevent spreading the virus to others and protect yourself from getting very sick. The Isolation Calculator can help you determine how long you should stay home and isolate away from others. Learn more about doctor-recommended treatments for COVID-19 that can keep you from getting sicker and being hospitalized.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Where to get new COVID vaccines in Rhode Island