TAMPA, Fla. — Vaccine rollout has started for the updated COVID-19 boosters.
“It's definitely a concern, people’s hesitancy to get vaccinated,” said Dr. Laura Arline, Chief Quality Officer for BayCare.
Although federal health officials have signed off on the new shots, doctors are wondering, will people get them?
“That’s kind of the million dollar question,” said Dr. Jill Roberts, Associate Professor for the USF College of Public Health.
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According to the CDC, only 17% of the total U.S. population got the last booster.
This new shot is monovalent, meaning it’s designed to only target one mutation, the XBB.1.5 omicron subvariant.
Health officials said boosting against this strain will offer protection against all circulating mutations, which are all closely related.
“The good news is that I know we’ve got newer variants that have come since the vaccine was made, and they are testing the vaccine against the newer variants, and it does seem to be effective,” said Arline.
The CDC has now recommended the new booster for anyone 6 months and older.
However, doctors expect vaccination numbers will be low.
“Will it make a difference? The only way it makes a difference is if people take it,” said Roberts.
Once these shots are available, this will be the first time since COVID-19 vaccinations started that the federal government isn’t paying for them.
Most insurance plans should cover the full cost, but some people may have to pay for some of it.
Experts fear that will only add another barrier to vaccination and lowering COVID-19 spread, especially as cases have been steadily rising and we head into the respiratory season.
“With no vaccine being used, we really won’t have a huge impact. So it really depends on what people decide to do,” said Roberts.
Doctors stress these new vaccines will offer protection, have been tested, and will have the same mild side effects as all the other versions of the shot, like headache and fatigue.
“These vaccines are safe to get, and either way, it will decrease the chances for hospitalizations and death in individuals who are elderly, pregnant, or have underlying complications,” said Arline.