South Peninsula Hospital’s COVID-19 Test and Vaccine Clinic is offering free COVID-19 Bivalent booster shots by appointment.
“We were happy to learn that the FDA provided emergency use authorization for this new Bivalent mRNA vaccine booster a few weeks ago,” said Derotha Ferraro, director of public relations for the hospital. “Then the CDC recommended the booster for individuals 12 and up and/or 18 and up depending on the manufacturer. And we put our order in, and we just received them on Monday, September 12.”
These mRNA boosters contain vaccines against the original strain of the virus that causes COVID-19, and the newest Omicron BA.5 variant.
Anyone over 12 years of age is eligible for the new booster, as long as they’ve completed the primary vaccine series and it’s been more than two months since their last shot.
“Your most recent dose might have been a booster, [or] your most recent dose might have been your second of your primary series,” Ferraro said. “So regardless, they recommend waiting at least two months to be boosted with the new newly-approved one.”
The Pfizer booster is approved for those 12 years of age and older, and Moderna for 18 years and older.
Both of these Bivalent boosters are available under FDA Emergency Use Authorization and recommended by the CDC as a way of staying “up to date” in a person’s vaccination status.
Ferraro said appointments for a booster at South Peninsula Hospital are required and can be made at sphosp.org.
Appointments at the Vaccine and Testing Site are available Wednesday through Saturday this week, and Tuesday through Saturday next week.
Appointments will continue to be made available into the fall and winter months, as needed.
“If the community keeps booking appointments, and the demand is still there, we'll keep increasing the amount of days that we offer these vaccines,” Ferraro said.
If you need help making an appointment, you can call (907) 235-0235, or contact your primary care office.
More information can be found on the hospital’s website.
