NATIONAL — Michigan health officials expect a new COVID-19 vaccine - designed to protect against the latest versions of the Omicron variant - to be available to people across the state this week.
This comes after federal health officials approved an updated booster shot last Thursday calling them ‘an important tool’ in the continuous fight against the virus.
“This is an important moment, a landmark moment,” says Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General.
Ahead of any fall or winter surges, federal health officials approved an updated booster shot last week that targets not only the original strain of the virus, but also new Omicron variants too.
It’s recommended anyone over the age of 12 receive the retooled version if it’s been more than two months since their last vaccine.
The effectiveness of the new shot remains in question since it’s only been test in mice-- although doctors say that’s common. Flu vaccines get updated each year without human trials.
"We've seen laboratory studies that have demonstrated that this updated boost has improved immune responses against the Omicron that’s circulating now, improved immune responses against other SARS-CoV-2 variants, as well as similar responses to the original variants. So, we have every reason to expect that it’ll work just as well, likely better." Dr. Rochelle Walensky, CDC Director tells us.
Doctor Matthew Sims-- Director of Infectious Disease at Beaumont Health-- encourages people to roll up their sleeves too, although he holds some reservations.
“It’s made with a part that’s specific to Omicron,” says Sims. “I worry a little bit that we won’t get the full advantage of that unless we get two shots of it just like with the original vaccine because it’s different than the original vaccine.”
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services told MLive they’ve allocated nearly 190,000 doses of Pfizer’s booster and 73,100 doses of Moderna’s.
Those numbers don’t included doses allocated to pharmacies, since they receive their allocations through another program.