Santa Clara County announced Friday all its mass vaccination locations and clinics will administer the updated bivalent COVID-19 booster shot once supplies arrive.
The first shipment of the updated vaccine is expected to be delivered next week and new vaccine appointments will be scheduled starting Wednesday.
The original COVID-19 booster shot will not be provided anymore to those eligible for the updated bivalent booster, officials said explaining they will follow federal recommendations.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
The Pfizer booster will be available for people 12 and older and the Moderna booster will be available for individuals 18 and older.
“This new bivalent booster is a welcome addition to our arsenal of defenses against COVID-19. The virus continues to reinvent itself and we must continue to adjust our response with updated vaccines,” Santa Clara Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody said. “With the addition of these updated boosters, we are in a stronger position to protect ourselves and our communities and to save lives.”
Cody also said she understands some of the apprehension surrounding the new vaccine and acknowledges the new boosters have largely been tested on mice, with human trials ongoing.
Experts said the only real question about the new vaccine is how long antibodies will stay in your system.
Those without a primary healthcare provider or who are having difficulty finding an appointment can go through www.sccfreevax.org for an appointment.
Other Bay Area counties such as Alameda, Marin, San Mateo and Sonoma also paused their booster vaccination efforts and will resume them when shipments of the omicron-specific vaccines begin to arrive.
