CVS Health and Walgreens, major drug store chains, have announced that they will be carrying updated Covid-19 vaccines as early as this week. This news follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) approval of the updated vaccines on Tuesday, in response to the rise of new variants such as Eris and BA.2.86, which have led to an increase in Covid cases and hospitalizations in the US.
Walgreens has stated that appointments for the updated vaccines will be available starting on Monday, with the possibility of earlier appointments as stores receive vaccine supplies this week. Rite Aid has also announced that appointments will go live on Friday. CVS has mentioned that select pharmacy locations will begin receiving the new vaccines on Wednesday, and all pharmacy locations are expected to have vaccinations in stock by early next week.
CVS Health, Walgreens, and Rite Aid should carry updated Covid-19 vaccines as soon as this week, the chains announced Wednesday
On Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval for updated vaccines manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna for all Americans aged 12 and above. Emergency use authorization has also been given for children aged six months to 11 years.
The government has stated that the updated shots will continue to be free for most Americans with health insurance coverage. However, the cost of the vaccine per dose, currently around $26, is expected to increase to $130 when it is sold on the private market this fall.
The primary purpose of the updated vaccines is to enhance protection against newer variants of the virus.
The availability of the vaccines in other pharmacies, such as Walmart, is still uncertain. Health officials are aiming to strengthen protection in anticipation of the winter season, as Covid cases are rising across the country for the first time this year. However, experts predict that this wave will be relatively mild.
Even individuals who have not yet received a Covid shot are eligible to receive the updated vaccines.
However, there is a decline in the demand for more Covid vaccines. Nearly six out of ten Americans over the age of 65 failed to receive last year’s booster shot, and it is anticipated that even fewer individuals will come forward for the newly formulated Covid vaccines.
Nevertheless, the increasing prevalence of new variants such as Eris and BA.2.86 has resulted in a higher demand for vaccines.
While Covid hospitalizations have been rising since late summer, the rates are significantly lower compared to the same period last year, thanks to previous vaccinations and natural immunity from prior infections.
According to data from the CDC, there were 17,400 Covid-related admissions to hospitals nationwide in the last week of August, representing a 16% increase from the previous week.
Despite the increase, hospitalization rates remain historically low. For comparison, at the peak of the pandemic in January 2021, there were 150,000 Covid admissions per week, and earlier this year, hospitalizations reached as high as 44,000 per week.
However, immunity wanes over time, and new Covid variants continue to emerge that can evade prior immunity.
The FDA has stated that individuals as young as five years old can receive a single dose of the booster vaccine, even if they have not previously received a Covid shot.
For children aged five and above, a single dose of the booster vaccine is recommended, as long as at least two months have passed since their last Covid shot. Children between six months and four years old may be eligible for one or two doses of the booster, depending on their vaccination history. The timing of the doses will be determined based on when they received their last Covid vaccine.
If a child under five years old has not received any Covid vaccines, they may be able to receive three doses of the Pfizer booster or two doses of the Moderna booster.
The FDA has emphasized its confidence in the safety and effectiveness of the updated vaccines, stating that the benefits outweigh the risks for individuals aged six months and older.
Younger children may require additional doses based on their history of Covid infections and vaccinations.
The newest shots target an Omicron variant known as XBB.1.5, although this specific strain is no longer dominant. However, it still provides good cross-protection against the coronavirus strains that are currently causing most Covid cases. Early tests have also shown that it is effective against BA.2.86, which has raised concerns about a potential new wave of Covid. Additionally, there are promising indications that it offers protection against the EG.5 variant, also known as Eris, which is currently the dominant variant in the US.
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