When should you get the new COVID booster? What we know

This week, nearly 500,000 doses of a newly approved COVID-19 booster will be distributed to pharmacies and county health departments across North Carolina.

The updated booster formula will likely make the vaccines more effective at stopping breakthrough infections and, more importantly, preventing serious illness ahead of a potential winter surge.

Dr. Cameron Wolfe, a Duke infectious disease expert, breaks down what we know so far about the bivalent booster:

What is a bivalent booster?

The new booster shot was developed as a response to the omicron variant, which has caused problems for the COVID-19 vaccine effort due to its constantly mutating spike protein.

Spike proteins — which sit on the surface of the virus and latch onto human cells — are what vaccines use to identify and kill the coronavirus. The more a spike protein mutates, the more difficult it is for immune cells to bind to the virus and stop it from infecting cells.

The new booster has both the omicron spike protein and the spike protein contained in the original booster shot to make it more effective at stopping variants like BA.5 and BA.4, which are now dominant in the United States.

“The easiest way to think about it is, this is exactly what we do each year for flu when we try and ever so slightly modify the recipe,” Wolfe said.

When and where will they be available in North Carolina?

Vaccine appointments will begin opening up at most county clinics on Wednesday and may already be available at local CVS and Walgreens pharmacies.

Five Wake County sites will begin offering bivalent boosters starting Wednesday morning. Appointments are required at these sites and can be scheduled online. A schedule of pop-up vaccine sites in Wake County libraries, grocery stores and churches can also be found at wakegov.com/vaccine.

Durham County’s COVID-19 vaccination clinic will also open Wednesday for walk-in bivalent booster appointments. Those seeking a booster appointment in Orange County can call (919) 913-8088 to schedule an appointment with the county health department.

Mecklenburg County has not yet received its shipment of boosters but will update its county website as more information becomes available.

Those seeking a new booster shot should bring their vaccine card, if possible. COVID-19 vaccinations are free and do not require insurance, documentation or identification.

Who is eligible for the vaccine?

Anyone older than 18 is eligible for the updated Moderna booster and anyone older than 12 is eligible for the Pfizer booster shot.

However, it should be at least two months after your last COVID shot, regardless of whether that was a booster dose or a shot in the primary vaccine series. Those who have not received any COVID-19 vaccines will need to complete their primary, two-dose series before they can receive a new booster dose.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that people recently recovering from a COVID-19 infection wait three months from symptom onset to get a booster, but factors like risk of severe illness and level of community spread should be taken into account when making this decision.

The booster’s brand doesn’t have a significant impact on efficacy or side effects, Wolfe said.

“Honestly, the one that you can get in your shoulder is likely to be the best one,” he said.

Should I wait to get the booster?

Most vaccinated people will be eligible to get their bivalent boosters as soon as they become available. But there may be some personal benefits to waiting.

Wolfe said people may want to time their booster appointment to two weeks before an important event.

“Is there something coming up in my calendar or significant events — school, crowded activity or international travel — that I just really can’t afford COVID to derail?” he asked.

Wolfe, for example, said he will schedule his appointment a couple of weeks before attending a wedding next month.

People should also weigh their risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and levels of community spread when making a decision like this.

Teddy Rosenbluth covers science for The News & Observer in a position funded by Duke Health and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. The N&O maintains full editorial control of the work