The first doses of the new COVID-19 vaccine have begun shipping to providers across the country. CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older get the updated vaccine. Spoke with Beth Galvin of the FOX Medical Team explains why Americans want another chance.
ATLANTA — Only 17% of Americans won the last booster dose of COVID-19 introduced in the fall of 2022.
That’s why CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen knows it will be difficult to convince pandemic-weary Americans that they want to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
“I know everyone needs to leave COVID in the rearview mirror, but unfortunately it’s still there for us, here with us, and it makes other people seriously ill, especially those over 65,” Dr. Cohen says.
The CDC’s new director met Thursday with vaccine providers at the agency’s headquarters in Atlanta to discuss tactics to succeed among vaccine-hesitant Americans.
“The first step is to announce that this week the CDC will offer an updated COVID-19 vaccine for anyone over the age of 6 months,” says Dr. Cohen. “I also need other people to know that I’m not just the director of the CDC, I’m also a mother, daughter and wife. And I wouldn’t introduce other Americans to anything that I wouldn’t introduce to my own family. “
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Cohen says her pre-daughters, husband and parents, who are over 65, will be vaccinated.
“So I need other people to know that those vaccines are safe and effective, and we just need other people to be as protected as imaginable during the fall and winter,” he says.
If you’ve been vaccinated against the coronavirus or have been inflamed with it, you have some immunity to the virus.
CDC Director Mandy Cohen discusses the COVID-19 vaccine rollout update with FOX medical reporter Beth Galvin at CDC headquarters on September 14, 2023.
However, he says, this coverage decreases over time, so an updated injection can repair antibody levels, bolstering some of the coverage you possibly would have lost.
According to Cohen, this strengthening of immunity is especially for older adults and others in high-risk groups, who are at higher risk for more severe headaches from the virus.
“We know that people over the age of 65 are at the highest risk for negative consequences from COVID,” says Dr. Cohen. “We’re still seeing an increased number of hospitalizations and, frankly, a lot of people over 65 are dying every year. “and every week. So we know they want to be protected. And so those over 65, you know, submit your plan now and make a plan to get the COVID vaccine, the COVID-19 vaccine, and the flu shot as soon as possible. Well.
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Now that the pandemic public health emergency is over, vaccine makers Pfizer and partners BioNTech and Moderna are charging about $130 for the vaccine.
“The good news is that it’s still available,” Dr. Cohen says. “It’s available because it’s covered by your insurance or because we have a program we run to offer a free vaccine to uninsured or underinsured people. They can get vaccinated at CVS or Walgreens, but also at public gyms and fitness centers. “
Some independent pharmacies are also in the Bridge To Access program and will provide free COVID-19 vaccines to others who are uninsured or whose insurance plan does not cover the full cost of the vaccine.
You can get vaccinated in your domain in vaccins. gov.