COVID-19 Vaccine

Cases are on the rise in Vermont, but a new COVID-19 booster is on the way. Vermont will have doses of both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines available in the next couple of weeks through health care providers, pharmacies and some free or low-cost clinics.

Advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today endorsed a proposal to make big changes in the nation's approach to vaccinating people against COVID-19.

The new approach would simplify vaccination guidance so that, every fall, people would get a new shot, updated to try to match whatever variant is dominant.

Public health officials want more Americans to get the latest COVID vaccine booster. Only 35% of people over 65 have gotten the shot, though 75% of COVID deaths are among people in this age group.

State health officials say mobile clinics make vaccination more convenient and equitable by reducing barriers and meeting people where they are.

Host Connor Cyrus talks with Dartmouth researcher Anne Sosin about current COVID-19 policies.

Updated COVID boosters are now available for anyone age 12 or older. The CDC is urging anyone who is eligible to sign up but some vaccine experts say some people might want to wait.

An initial shipment of 17,000 COVID boosters is expected to reach Vermont early next week. Vermonters could start getting the shots as soon as Sept. 7, according to state Epidemiologist Patsy Kelso.

Some scientists are alarmed that the agency plans to evaluate the next generation of boosters by reviewing mouse studies alone. Others say there's no time to waste waiting for human trials.

The Biden administration is scrapping plans to offer COVID boosters for people under 50 this summer. Instead officials will push for an earlier release of the next generation boosters in the fall.