WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The White House is planning to roll out a new COVID-19 vaccine booster this fall to protect against the highly contagious omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants.
The new shot likely means there will be less of a push to get the current booster shot, especially since a new variant of COVID-19 is spreading fast.
"The new vaccine will boost even further because the vaccine is specific to the variant that is passing around now," said Palm Beach County infectious disease specialist Dr. Larry Bush.
Bush said the new vaccine, both from Moderna and Pfizer, is designed to keep up with a COVID-19 virus that seemingly is trying to stay one step ahead of science.
The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows all the counties in South Florida and the Treasure Coast at high community levels for COVID-19, led by the BA.4 and BA.5 variants.
"Tthe studies clearly show that people who had natural COVID verses people who had natural COVID and then a vaccine, the second group fair better if they do get reinfected and they have less chance of becoming reinfected," Bush said.
Which means, Bush said, getting the new vaccine when its available this fall is recommended, even for those under 50 who cannot get the second booster.
The new shot, Bush admits, may be a tough sell on those ready to move from COVID-19 and having vaccine fatigue.
"That’s a false sense of security they have because it’s not over. We’re still in the beginning phase. We're at end of the beginning, not at the beginning of the end," Bush said.
It also may be the beginning of a new reality in COVID-19 where annual boosters may be needed, much like flu shots.