Updated COVID Vaccine Approved: What To Know, How To Get One In PA

PENNSYLVANIA — Federal regulators have approved updated COVID-19 vaccines to better target recent strains of the virus that have contributed to a summer illness surge in Pennsylvania and around the country.

On Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization for the latest mRNA vaccines, which have been reformulated to focus on a newer omicron variant known as KP.2, or FLiRT. The approval for this year's vaccine came a little earlier than in previous years, as most of the country is experiencing increased viral activity.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already recommended this fall’s shot for everyone age 6 months and older. And though different omicron strains such as KP.3.1.1 have also been spreading (and may become more common in the fall and winter), health officials said the variants are closely-related enough for the 2024-25 COVID vaccines to ensure cross-protection.

When will the vaccines be available, and when should I get one?

Pfizer and Moderna are set to begin shipping millions of doses while a third U.S. manufacturer, Novavax, expects its modified vaccine version to be available a little later.

A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Health Department said doses are expected to arrive" before the end of the week" at local doctor's offices, along with major pharmacies around the state. CVS is offering appointments for the new vaccine now, and Walgreens has appointments available beginning Sept. 6.

"The Health Department recommends that Pennsylvanians stay updated with COVID-19 vaccinations and continue fundamental health and hygiene practices, like handwashing, staying home when sick, and avoiding contact with people who have suspected or confirmed COVID-19," said Deputy Press Secretary Neil Ruhland. "The Department also recommends taking COVID tests if you think you have COVID-19 and seeking treatment to reduce the chances of being hospitalized."

Keep in mind that the federal government is not buying and distributing COVID vaccines any more, so the shots are no longer free of charge, though insurance carriers should cover most or all of the cost.

Dr. Robert Hopkins Jr. of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases said skipping this new vaccine is “a hazardous way to go,” because even if your last infection was mild, your next might be worse or leave you with long COVID symptoms.

Hopkins advised that people at high risk from COVID should schedule vaccinations once shots are available in their area, as long as they have not been sick with the virus in the past three months, or had another COVID vaccine in the past two months. This high-risk group includes older adults, people with weak immune systems or other serious medical problems, nursing home residents and pregnant women.

Healthy adults and children "can get vaccinated anytime," Hopkins said, adding that these people could wait until the fall — when local pharmacies and doctor's offices have more doses, and people could potentially get a flu shot at the same time they receive the updated COVID vaccine.

Vaccine coverage is waning nationwide, with only 22.6 percent of U.S. adults currently protected by the 2023-24 COVID vaccine that rolled out in September 2023, according to CDC data. Vaccine protection increased by age groups, with the highest coverage among adults 75 and older — though the strain targeted by those shots is no longer circulating.

Much of the country, including Pennsylvania, is experiencing a summer bump in COVID-19 cases, according to updated wastewater surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Communities can use sewage samples to track the presence of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) as a data point to anticipate any spikes locally.

As of the latest update Aug. 22, wastewater viral activity for COVID-19 is at the "very high" level nationally, and Pennsylvania is at a "high" level.

"It is not unusual for there to be fluctuations in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths over time in Pennsylvania and across the nation," Ruhland said, "But due to effective vaccinations and treatments, as well as the evolution of the virus, COVID-19 has become a much less severe illness for most of the population, and the number of hospitalizations and deaths have dropped dramatically since the height of the pandemic."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.