The latest versions of the COVID-19 vaccine will soon be available in Wisconsin pharmacies as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Wisconsin and across the country.
On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration approved the latest, updated versions of the COVID vaccine, targeting the COVID-19 strains prevalent this year.
Like many other parts of the country, Wisconsin sees a surge in COVID-19 cases during the summer, according to data from the state Department of Health.
COVID-19 hospitalizations have increased in Wisconsin over the summer, but are still well below numbers during the peak of the pandemic and far below levels seen last winter. On any given day last week, about 190 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized in Wisconsin, according to DHS data, compared to 159 hospitalizations per day the week before.
Here’s everything you need to know about the updated COVID-19 vaccines and where to get them.
What are the current COVID-19 vaccines?
Similar to the annual flu shot, COVID-19 vaccines are updated each year to provide better protection against currently circulating strains of the virus.
The timing of the updated COVID-19 vaccines largely coincides with that of annual flu shots and is intended to increase people’s protection against the winter COVID-19 wave, the time of year when disease rates tend to be highest.
The updated vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna were specifically designed to combat the COVID-19 subvariant KP.2, a measure recommended by the FDA to better address the variants circulating this year.
When will the new COVID-19 vaccines be available in Wisconsin?
CVS Pharmacy Communications Director Amy Thibault said CVS pharmacies expect to receive the latest, updated vaccines “within the next few days.” Once vaccines arrive at pharmacies, “walk-in visits will be accepted,” she said. Check the CVS website for available appointments.
Some CVS stores in Wisconsin already had appointments available for the new vaccine on August 30. According to CVS’s online scheduling tool, earlier appointments may become available “depending on when our stores receive the vaccine.”
According to a statement from Walgreens, Walgreens pharmacies will begin offering the vaccine on September 6. Appointments can be made online at walgreens.com/schedulevaccine.
Check with other local pharmacies to see when the vaccine is expected to be available.
Who should get the latest COVID-19 vaccine?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older be vaccinated with a current version of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The CDC especially recommends vaccination if you are 65 years or older, are at high risk for severe COVID-19, or have never received a COVID-19 vaccine.
When should you get the latest COVID-19 vaccine?
In general, people in high-risk groups such as elderly patients or people with weakened immune systems should receive the new vaccine as soon as possible, says Dr. Ajay Sethi, a professor of population health sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who studies infectious diseases.
He advised people who had recently been infected with COVID-19 to wait until three months after infection to receive the new vaccine.
Sethi also advised paying attention to COVID-19 levels in your community and when COVID-19 levels tend to be highest. Some people may want to wait until November, just before the typical winter surge, to get the booster shot to maximize protection during the months of highest spread, he said.
“There really aren’t a lot of one size fits all guidelines. You just have to ask yourself, ‘When was the last time I got a booster shot, when was the last time I got COVID, what is my risk, and what do I have coming up that I feel like I want to make sure I’m protected? … Am I going to go to a holiday party?'” he said.
