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Oct 3, 2022 · Yes, because the bivalent booster will give you a better response to the currently circulating variants. The CDC recommendation is that everyone 5 years and older get the bivalent booster at least two months after their last dose or at least three months after a COVID-19 infection. There is also some data that suggest waiting as long as six ...
- Overview
- What is a COVID-19 bivalent vaccine?
- What’s the difference between the original COVID-19 vaccines and the bivalent vaccines?
- How effective is the COVID-19 bivalent vaccine?
- Who can get a COVID-19 bivalent vaccine?
- Takeaway
Bivalent COVID-19 vaccines contain two different components. One protects against the original strain of SARS-CoV-2, while the other protects against more recent variants.
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, continues to evolve over time. This has led to the continued emergence of new viral variants.
New variants differ significantly from the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 that was identified in 2019. For example, a 2022 review notes that, compared to the original strain of SARS-CoV-2, the Omicron variant carries at least 60 mutations.
COVID-19 vaccines were developed based on the original strain of SARS-CoV-2. However, the continued evolution of the virus means that these original vaccines may not be as effective against newer variants.
A COVID-19 bivalent vaccine has two different components. These provide two levels of protection.
The first component protects against the original strain of SARS-CoV-2. This is the component that was present in the original COVID-19 vaccines. It aims to provide broad protection against SARS-CoV-2.
The second component protects against more recent variants of SARS-CoV-2. This helps the COVID-19 vaccines keep pace with the continued evolution of the virus.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized two COVID-19 bivalent vaccines in the fall of 2022. These were mRNA vaccines produced by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
The original COVID-19 vaccines were monovalent. This means that they contained one component. Meanwhile, as we discussed earlier, the bivalent vaccines contain two components.
Overall, the side effects of the COVID-19 bivalent vaccine are similar to those of the original COVID-19 vaccine. Some of the most common side effects can include:
•pain, swelling, or redness at the injection site
•fatigue
•fever, with or without chills
•body aches and pains
The COVID-19 bivalent vaccine is effective at protecting from serious illness and death due to COVID-19. However, the protection that it gives decreases in the weeks after it’s given.
One study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in May 2023, included data from roughly a little over 1.2 million people who had received a COVID-19 bivalent booster. Its key findings were:
•The effectiveness against severe infection that resulted in hospitalization or death was:
•67.4%, at 2 weeks after vaccination
•47.5% after 4 weeks
•44.3% after 10 weeks
Currently, the CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 years and older receive a COVID-19 bivalent vaccine. This is regardless of whether you’ve previously had any of the original COVID-19 vaccines.
Children under 6 years old who received the original COVID-19 vaccine can also get the COVID-19 bivalent vaccine. The number of doses used depends on the type of vaccine and number of doses they originally received, as well as age.
Some individuals may get a second dose of the COVID-19 bivalent vaccine. This includes:
•adults ages 65 years and older: recommended time frame is 4 or more months after their first dose of the COVID-19 bivalent vaccine
COVID-19 bivalent vaccines contain two components. One protects against the original strain of SARS-CoV-2, while the other protects against more recent Omicron subvariants.
The COVID-19 bivalent vaccine effectively protects against serious illness or death due to COVID-19, although protection wanes with time. Its side effects are similar to the original monovalent vaccine.
Aug 31, 2022 · The safety of a single booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent for individuals 18 years of age and older is supported by safety data from a clinical study which evaluated a booster ...
Oct 24, 2022 · The FDA has authorized the COVID-19 bivalent boosters for the following ages: Moderna bivalent booster: Individuals ages 6 and older. Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent booster: Individuals ages 5 and older ...
- Paul Wynn
- Contributor
Oct 12, 2022 · The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages those eligible to receive the new bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccine. "The bivalent booster vaccine is a new vaccine that provides protection against the original strain of COVID-19, as well as the two more recent variants BA.4 and BA.5," says Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric ...
Mar 14, 2023 · The FDA amended the emergency use authorization (EUA) of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent to provide for a single booster dose in children 6 months through 4 years of age at least 2 ...
