How to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine targeting omicron in Kentucky

Sarah Ladd, Louisville Courier Journal
·5 min read
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A new vaccine booster shot is coming to Kentucky as the omicron subvariants BA.5 and BA.4 continue to drive infections.

Almost one in five people getting tested for COVID-19 are turning up positive — the state positivity rate was 18% as of Tuesday. That calculation doesn't include at-home tests, meaning infection rates are likely higher. The most recent wastewater data for Jefferson County shows the BA.5 variant is the most dominant citywide.

Here's what Kentuckians need to know about the new COVID-19 booster shots:

Who is eligible for the new COVID-19 booster?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in an August authorization notice that:

  • People 18 years and older are eligible for Moderna's single booster dose if at least two months have passed since their primary vaccine series or their last authorized booster dose.

  • People 12 and older are eligible for Pfizer-BioNTech's single booster dose if at least two months have passed since their primary vaccine series or their last authorized booster dose.

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"You need to complete your primary COVID vaccine series first, and then you can get a booster two months later," said Dr. Kris Bryant, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Norton Children's Hospital and with the University of Louisville School of Medicine. "You have to receive the original vaccine the primary series and then you can receive the booster."

What makes the new COVID-19 booster special?

The new vaccine boosters, which got the federal green light for emergency late last month, specifically target the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of omicron, both of which have emerged as culprits driving many of the cases both in Kentucky and across the nation.

"These new living lineages are what we might predict to see circulating around this fall and winter season," said Jim Hallahan, the assistant director of pharmacy operations at UK HealthCare. "So, ideally, it's going to provide us with a lot better protection and help decrease the infection rates, hospitalization rates, all the above."

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When and where will the boosters be available in Kentucky?

Bryant said Norton expects to have vaccine doses in its adult primary care offices the week of Sept. 19. Norton also plans on having some clinics in early October.

UK Healthcare should be able to start distribution beginning Sept. 12, if all goes well, according to Hallahan.

Louisville's health department is getting 300 doses on Monday, a spokeswoman said. Shots will be available by appointment only.

Vaccines.gov shows the boosters are available at Walgreens and CVS pharmacies in Louisville, Lexington and elsewhere in the state.

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Why should I get the new COVID-19 booster shot?

Bryant with Norton said there is "a lot of concern" that we could see a surge of COVID-19 going into the fall and winter as people spend more time indoors with less chance of physical distancing.

"We know that the original COVID vaccine protected people against severe illness and death," she said. "But many people who were immunized became infected with omicron during this most recent surge."

She added: "We know that in Jefferson County right now there are a lot of COVID cases, a lot of COVID transmission and this new bivalent booster provides the best protection against future COVID infections."

Bivalent refers to how many variants the booster is effective against ― two, in this case.

"I'm exhausted of COVID. I want this to be done. I think everybody wants this to be done," said Vince Venditto, an assistant professor at the UK College of Pharmacy. "But it is important that we continue to stay vigilant ... and continue to get vaccines and get booster doses."

How many people need to get the new boosters to push omicron down?

It's difficult to say for sure, UK's Venditto said.

"Obviously, we want to keep people out of the hospital and that's really what the vaccines are designed to do," he said. "They're designed to keep people out of the hospital, to prevent the symptoms associated with the infection from getting too severe...

"And so [a] prediction on how many we actually need?" he added, "I think it's going to be very similar to the original vaccine. And hopefully, the majority of the population will still get them and continue to get boosted with these vaccines."

When the original COVID-19 vaccines were first approved, experts advised the state needed at least 75% of the population to get inoculated, with some estimates calling for at least 80%. As of Sept. 6, 67% of Kentuckians had received at least one dose, with 58% fully vaccinated and 27% boosted.

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Can I get my booster and flu shot at the same time?

Yes.

"You can get this COVID vaccine booster as well as flu vaccine in the same visit," UK's Hallahan said. "You don't need to worry about spreading those out between two weeks or four weeks. So you can kind of knock out two things in one visit."

The CDC says everyone 6 months and older should get a flu shot, with a few rare exceptions.

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Reach health reporter Sarah Ladd at sladd@courier-journal.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ladd_sarah.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: How to get the new COVID-19 booster shots in Kentucky