New COVID-19 Vaccine Guidelines Recommend Second Dose for 65+

(Sedgwick County, Kan.) – The Sedgwick County Health Department (SCHD) now offers adults 65+ and individuals with weakened immune systems a second dose of updated (bivalent) COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine under new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

 Here is a summary of the new guidelines: 

• What has changed:
  •  For adults 65 years and older, a second dose of updated vaccine is recommended four months after the first dose.
  •  For individuals with a weakened immune system, a second dose of updated vaccine is recommended two months after the first dose.
  •  The original, monovalent COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are no longer recommended for use.
• What has not changed:
  •  Everyone 6 years and older should get an updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Individuals ages 6 years and older who have already received an updated mRNA vaccine do not need to take any action unless they are 65 years or older or immunocompromised.
  • For young children, one or more updated vaccine doses continue to be recommended and vary by age, vaccine, and which vaccines were previously received. For additional information on the updated childhood COVID-19 vaccine schedules, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html.   

SCHD’s main clinic at 2716 W. Central offers the updated Pfizer vaccine, not Moderna, as well as the Novavax vaccine by appointment only for uninsured people and children who are covered by CHIP or Medicaid/KanCare. To schedule, call 316-660-7300.

 Individuals with insurance are encouraged to contact their healthcare provider. To find other vaccine providers, including providers that offer the updated Moderna vaccine, visit www.covid.gov.

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