ask their doctor about receiving their COVID-19 vaccine during the same appointment as their annual flu shot, saving time now and helping to prevent severe disease later when respiratory viruses are at their peak,” Bourla added.
“As the primary circulating strain continues to evolve, updated vaccines will be critical to protecting the population this season,” Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said in a company news release. “We appreciate the FDA’s timely review and encourage individuals who intend to get their flu shot to also get their updated COVID-19 vaccine at the same time.”
Do you still have immunity from past vaccines and infections?
Although protection against COVID-19 wanes over time, about 97 percent of adults have some immunity from past COVID infections, vaccinations or both. These updated shots are expected to boost that coverage.
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Will you have to pay out of pocket?
They will, however, come at a price. For the first time, the federal government is not covering costs of the shots.
Most people with private and public health insurance should still be able to receive them for free. Those who are uninsured may be able to get them at community health centers.
Others may have to pay. The full price is expected to be $110 to $130 per dose, according to NBC News.
Whether someone can get their shots covered, and when they can get them, will depend on their insurance, Jennifer Kates, director of the Global Health & HIV Policy Program at KFF, a nonprofit health policy organization, told NBC News.
The Biden administration has also announced a “bridge” program to offer uninsured people access to free boosters through 2024.
For more information on COVID, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a new risk assessment of a currently circulating strain of COVID-19.