FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 1, 2022
CONTACT: Chris Boyle, Director of Communications
(860) 706-9654 – christopher.boyle@ct.gov
HARTFORD, Conn—On Thursday afternoon, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met and voted to recommend use of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine as a single booster dose at least two months following primary or booster vaccination.
These updated COVID-19 vaccines provide an immune response that is protective against the omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5 omicron variants. Per the ACIP, the Moderna booster is approved for individuals 18 years of age and older, and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster is authorized for use as a single booster dose in individuals 12 years of age and older. In the coming weeks, CDC is also expected to recommend updated COVID-19 boosters for additional pediatric groups.
Only those who have completed their primary series of the COVID-19 vaccine should receive this updated booster.
Here in Connecticut, we are in a better place than we were a year ago thanks to the COVID-19 vaccines and boosters which have saved countless lives. But with the start of the new school year and the onset of the fall season when people begin spending more time indoors, there is no better time to receive this extra level of protection which targets these variants and prevents transmission of this virus.
DPH has already provided updated booster guidance and ordering information to providers, including physician practices, hospitals/health networks and pharmacies. About 200,000 doses of these updated booster vaccines have been pre-ordered so far and will be shipped directly to the providers. We estimate that some sites will have the updated booster available by Friday and others just after the Labor Day holiday.
I encourage all eligible Connecticut residents to receive an updated booster, especially those who are 65 and older as well as immunocompromised people. Residents should contact their primary care physician to schedule an appointment or visit www.vaccines.gov to find a provider.
These boosters also will be available at local health departments and through the DPH Yellow Van mobile clinics program. The updated Yellow Van schedule can be found here or by visiting ct.gov/coronavirus.
Our state has a full set of effective tools to combat COVID-19 -- including vaccines and boosters, masking as needed, Test to Treat locations, therapeutics, self-tests and state-supported testing -- and we encourage people to use these tools to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and curb the severity of illness.
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