Looking for a COVID booster, flu shot or monkeypox vaccine? Where to find one in Lexington
With cold and flu season just around the corner, it may be time to roll up your sleeve for a new vaccine — and you may encounter more shots at the pharmacy than in years past.
The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department will host a series of clinics to meet demand for four types of shots: two varieties of updated COVID-19 booster, the annual flu shot and the monkeypox vaccine.
The clinics will be open to any Kentuckian, not just those who live in Fayette County, and there will be no charge to get vaccinated.
Eligibility and recommendations for each shot varies, and other agencies and businesses are also offering vaccines. Here’s what to know about the shots.
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Who can get the updated COVID-19 booster?
The federal government has expanded eligibility for second boosters of the coronavirus vaccine, and Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have updated their formulas to better protect against omicron subvariants of the novel coronavirus — the dominant strains in the U.S.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the bivalent Moderna vaccine for those ages 18 and older, while the Pfizer-BioNTech shot is approved for those ages 12 and up. Though the primary series for Pfizer is two doses, the booster is a single shot.
All those who are ages 12 and older, have received their initial series or dose and have not received a COVID vaccine within the past two months are eligible for the vaccine, per the FDA.
So long as you have completed your primary series, you can get either Moderna or Pfizer as your booster and do not have to receive the same type of vaccine you have previously been administered.
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Updated COVID booster options in Lexington, KY
The LFCHD is offering separate mass clinics for the Moderna and Pfizer jabs, each with 1,000 openings.
As of Wednesday morning, registration had not opened for either clinic, but will be available at lfchd.org/vaccine or by calling 859-899-2222.
The Pfizer mass clinic is set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22 at Consolidated Baptist Church, 1625 Russell Cave Road.
For those seeking Moderna, the mass clinic will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, also at Consolidated Baptist Church.
Additionally, the bivalent boosters will be available at the regular LFCHD public health clinic on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays beginning Monday, Oct. 3. You will need to make a same-day appointment by phone at 859-288-2483.
You can also schedule a booster through an area pharmacy, including:
Additionally, you can use vaccines.gov and filter by bivalent booster shot options to find a provider near you and schedule an appointment.
A spokesperson for the county health department said demand for the COVID vaccine has declined in recent weeks, but officials expect the updated boosters to change that.
“We’ve provided 24 doses the last two weeks, so those are people who are either starting or finishing the primary series, and it’s great to know people are still getting that protection,” communications officer Kevin Hall told the Herald-Leader.
The primary series remains available free of charge through the public health clinic.
Those attending the booster clinics are asked to bring their vaccination card, but will not be turned away for not having it.
As of Wednesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 72.1% of Fayette County residents ages 5 and older are fully vaccinated. For the state, that figure falls to 62.2%.
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Getting your flu shot in Lexington
Influenza vaccines for the 2022-23 season are also available. This year, there are three vaccines specifically recommended for those ages 65 and older.
Federal health officials have recommended individuals consider receiving their annual flu shot and updated COVID-19 booster simultaneously.
The CDC recommends September and October as “generally good times to be vaccinated against flu,” though some researchers note effectiveness erodes over time. Peak flu season in Lexington tends to occur from late January to early February.
The LFCHD is just one of several places offering flu shots and will do so during a special clinic Thursday, Oct. 13 at Consolidated Baptist Church. A number of area pharmacies, clinics and primary care providers also offer the flu shot annually.
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Monkeypox vaccines in central Kentucky
Though the outbreak of monkeypox in the U.S. has started to slow, health officials across the country continue to offer vaccines to eligible groups considered most at risk.
The U.S. has recorded at least 22,630 cases, including 36 in Kentucky and four in Lexington.
The health department is one of several area agencies offering the monkeypox vaccines, and is hosting another large clinic Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Central Baptist Church on Wilson Downing Road.
Those who meet eligibility requirements can register for the clinic online now. Hall said as of Tuesday afternoon about 300 slots for first and second doses were available.
All clinic participants will be asked to wear a mask.
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