The HealthWorks Immunization Clinic, a service of the Hattiesburg Clinic and Forrest General Hospital, now offers updated Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 boosters for people 12 years and older and Moderna for people 18 years or more
The updated COVID-19 boosters use the same mRNA technology as the original vaccines. The key difference between the original and the updated vaccines is that the latter is designed to fight the dominant subvariants of Omicron, by using a mixture of mRNA encoding the spike proteins of the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and the Omicron subvariants, BA.4. and BA.5.
“The updated COVID-19 boosters are formulated to better protect against the most recently circulating variant of COVID-19,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a recent statement. “They can help restore protection that has waned since the previous vaccination and were designed to provide broader protection against newer variants. This recommendation followed a thorough scientific evaluation and sound scientific discussion. If you are eligible, there is no It’s a bad time to get your COVID-19 booster and I strongly recommend you get it.”
Individuals 12 years of age and older are eligible for a single booster dose of Pfizer Bivalent COVID-19 vaccine if at least two (2) months have passed since they completed primary vaccination or received the most recent booster dose with any authorized or approved monovalent COVID-19 vaccine.
Individuals 18 years of age or older are eligible for a single booster dose of the Modern Bivalent COVID-19 vaccine if at least two (2) months have passed since they completed the primary vaccination or received the most recent booster dose with any authorized or approved monovalent COVID-19 vaccine.
HealthWorks Immunization Clinic appointments can be booked through Iris, the Hattiesburg Clinic patient portal, or by calling (601) 261-1620. Patients can also contact their pediatrician or primary care provider’s office to schedule an appointment.