ILLINOIS – Federal regulators have approved updated COVID-19 vaccines to better combat recent strains of the virus that contributed to a surge in cases in Illinois and across the country over the summer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already recommended vaccination for everyone 6 months and older this fall. And while various omicron strains like KP.3.1.1 have also spread (and may become more common in the fall and winter), health officials said the variants are closely enough related to provide cross-protection with the 2024-25 COVID vaccines.
When will the vaccines be available and when should I get vaccinated?
Pfizer and Moderna will soon begin delivering millions of doses, while a third U.S. manufacturer, Novavax, expects its modified version of the vaccine to be available somewhat later.
Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) spokesman Mike Claffey said doses are expected to arrive at local doctor’s offices as well as major pharmacies across the state “in the coming days.” CVS is now offering appointments for the new vaccine, and Walgreens will have appointments available starting Sept. 6.
Claffey said: “The new Covid vaccines are targeted at the strain of virus currently circulating and they are very effective at preventing serious outcomes such as hospitalization and death.”
He added that the new coronavirus vaccines, in addition to the flu shot, are “recommended for everyone aged six months and older.”
Keep in mind that the federal government is no longer purchasing and distributing COVID vaccines, so the shots are no longer free, but insurance carriers should cover most or all of the cost.
Dr. Robert Hopkins Jr. of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases said forgoing this new vaccine is “a risky proposition” because even if your last infection was mild, the next one could be worse or lead to long-lasting COVID symptoms.
Hopkins advised people at high risk for COVID to get vaccinated as soon as vaccinations are available in their area, provided they have not had the virus in the past three months or received another COVID vaccination in the past two months. This high-risk group includes older adults, people with weakened immune systems or other serious medical problems, nursing home residents and pregnant women.
Healthy adults and children “can get vaccinated at any time,” Hopkins said, adding that those people could wait until the fall – when local pharmacies and doctor’s offices have more doses and people could potentially get a flu shot at the same time as the updated COVID vaccine.
Vaccination rates are declining nationwide. According to CDC data, only 22.6 percent of U.S. adults are currently protected by the 2023-24 COVID vaccine, which was introduced in September 2023. Vaccine coverage increased by age group, with the highest rate among adults ages 75 and older – even though the strain those shots target is no longer circulating.
Much of the country, including Illinois, is expected to see a surge in COVID-19 cases this summer, according to recent wastewater surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Communities can use wastewater samples to track the presence of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) to anticipate potential local spikes.
As of the last update on August 22, viral activity in wastewater for COVID-19 is “very high” across the country and “high” in Illinois.
“We advise anyone with respiratory symptoms – such as a cough, runny nose or fever – to exercise discretion,” Claffey said. “That would mean staying home if you are sick for at least 24 hours until both are true: you are fever-free without taking fever-reducing medications and symptoms are improving overall. After you return and for the next 5 days, the CDC recommends increasing hygiene practices, wearing a well-fitting mask and maintaining as much distance from others as possible indoors.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
