
Will the booster keep me from getting sick?Ĭurrent COVID vaccines do a good job of protecting against severe illness, hospitalization, and death, but they may not prevent you from catching COVID or spreading it to others. If your child is under the age of 6 months and thus ineligible to receive a new booster, it’s especially important that those in your household are vaccinated, Tan said Tuesday. What if my child is too young to receive the vaccine? The shot is especially important for children under 1 year of age, she added.

Many parents hold the false belief that COVID can’t cause severe illness and death in children. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and vice president of the Infectious Disease Society of America’s board of directors-said at a Wednesday press conference on the matter. Tina Tan-a pediatrician with the Ann & Robert H. John Schumann-a Tulsa-based primary care doctor and internal medicine specialist with Oak Street Health, a chain of primary care clinics that serve older adults- told Fortune on Tuesday.

What’s more, recently released preliminary data shows that refreshed boosters should also offer decent protection against new, highly mutated Omicron spawn “Pirola” BA.2.86, even though it’s not a member of the XBB family. The program will pay for pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS to provide the shots for free, while Pfizer and Moderna will also donate a certain number of doses, according to the CDC.While the newest jabs are tailored to a dying strain of Omicron, they’re still expected to protect against severe disease and death from currently circulating strains, the vast majority of which are members of the XBB viral family. The federal government's Bridge Access Program will also cover the cost of shots for the 25 million to 30 million uninsured adults in the U.S., according to KFF Health News. Doses of both brands' formulas are currently being shipped to the company's locations nationwide.Īs with previous versions of the COVID-19 vaccine, the shots are available at no cost to consumers.īecause the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has recommended the vaccine for children, the government is required to administer it to kids as well as commercially insured adults for free. Walgreens may add earlier appointments if vaccine supplies arrive earlier than expected. Consumers can schedule appointments immediately, with the first openings falling on Monday of next week. Walgreens told CBS MoneyWatch that it is now offering the jabs at locations nationwide. Walk-ins will be permitted once the vaccine becomes available in its stores. A Rite-Aid spokesperson said it expects to have the updated COVID vaccine in all of its pharmacy locations "soon," without specifying exactly when.Ĭustomers can schedule appointments beginning Friday.
