A new COVID-19 vaccine will be available in Oregon hospitals, pharmacies and clinics in the coming weeks.
The vaccine was approved this week by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Oregon Health Authority recommends it for anyone at least 6 months old who has gone more than two months without getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
Dr. Paul Cieslak, the medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at OHA, said kids between 6 months and 5 years old may need the primary series of two or three shots, because it鈥檚 likely they have not been otherwise exposed to the virus.
鈥淏ut everybody older than about 5, we figure they鈥檝e probably seen the virus already and they just need to be boosted against the more recent strain,鈥� he said.
Because COVID-19 cases are on the rise nationwide, Ceislak says people should get these vaccines as soon as possible. They鈥檙e based on, and targeted toward, the XBB.1.5 omicron subvariant. There are more recent subvariants circulating now, but the vaccine should also defend against those.
鈥淎lmost all of the circulating strains, over 90%, are closely related to that strain,鈥� Cieslak explained. 鈥淪o there are little variations that you鈥檒l hear about here and there. But it turns out that they鈥檙e all very, very closely related. And we think that any XBB vaccine is gonna give you good protection against virtually everything that鈥檚 out there right now.
He said it鈥檚 not yet clear exactly when the vaccines will be available in the state. But Oregonians can begin scheduling appointments now by visiting .
The new COVID-19 vaccine will be provided free for almost anyone with health insurance coverage. People who don鈥檛 have health insurance, or have plans that don鈥檛 cover the cost, can find local pharmacies participating in the CDC鈥檚 .
Cieslak said a rise in COVID-19 cases will again coincide with flu season this year, but it鈥檚 too early to tell if annual COVID shots will become the norm.
鈥淭he disease has only been with us for a few years right now,鈥� he said. 鈥淚, for one, am withholding judgment as to whether it will truly be a seasonal disease or not.鈥�
He also clarified that while people should get their COVID shots as soon as they become available, that鈥檚 not necessarily the case for flu shots.
鈥淐OVID-19 is going up now, but flu hasn鈥檛 really hit yet,鈥� Cielslak said. 鈥淎nd in order to protect you throughout the flu season, the people at highest risk are advised to get their flu shot in October, and not before.鈥�
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