As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations creep up during a summer wave of heightened virus activity, updated vaccines are still likely weeks away.

Why it matters:

  • Americans have largely tuned out COVID, but the latest COVID uptick is a reminder that the virus continues to circulate and mutate — though the threat is far below pandemic-era levels.
  • Health officials face a challenge convincing a pandemic-fatigued public to get an updated COVID shot, as vaccine uptake has declined with each successive booster.
  • inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    Honestly, the HHS needs to stop referring to this as a pandemic and call it an endemic and treat this like a flu and get a cadence going for biannual boosters and reminders of covid and flu seasons.

    Like our or not but most scientists seem to agree that this sucker is going to be endemic and the faster we move to that reality, the better.

      • defunct_punk@lemmy.world
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        2 years ago

        Antivaxxers have literally been saying “itS nO worse tHaN the FLu!!” since day 1. If anything, they should be even more receptive to the idea.

  • lettruthout@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    “The updated COVID shots from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax are expected to become available in the third or fourth week of September, according to the most recent guidance from CDC director Mandy Cohen.”

    • TheDarkKnight@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      Seems like these things should be coordinated with kids going back to school every year but idk, not a medical professional.

      • athos77@kbin.social
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        2 years ago

        It would complicate the messaging, but I’d like it if school kids got it in September to tamp down the natural wave caused by them spreading it throughout the community; and adults got it in October to protect them through most of the winter.

    • Mewtwo@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      2 years ago

      I have a large gathering beginning October and a trip in December. Guess I’ll be taking the currently available booster.

  • mesamunefire@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    How do you get the booster without insurance? My old company threw us under the buss after the stole our 401ks.

      • elscallr@lemmy.world
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        2 years ago

        It can’t. It can avoid paying an unvested match, but that’s it. That person might be confusing a 401K for a pension, but even pensions are pretty well protected.

    • pdxfed@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      Just be rich and pay cash.

      Seriously though, almost any vaccine distribution site was mandated to provide the shot to those without insurance including Walgreens, rite aid, etc., then the bill is sent to feds.

    • Lev_Astov@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      In my county all COVID vaccines and boosters are free to residents and in most regions around me I know there are programs to get them for free if you can’t afford them. I’m sure it’s not that way everywhere, though, but it’s certainly worth calling around and asking about.

  • Bipta@kbin.social
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    2 years ago

    There’s little reason to believe the new shots will be highly protective against BA.2.86, so we’d better hope it gets outcompeted.

    • athos77@kbin.social
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      2 years ago

      First, it’s a sub-variant of omicron, so the new shots should provide some protection against it.

      Secondly, per the CDC, as of yesterday:

      At least two cases have been identified in the United States. […] It is also important to note that the current increase in hospitalizations in the United States is not likely driven by the BA.2.86 variant. This assessment may change as additional data become available.

    • dethb0y@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      That’s my thought as well, these shots are not going to be tuned for the variants we face today but the variants we faced months ago.