New ‘Bivalent’ Covid-19 booster rolling out across the state

HAZARD, Ky. (WYMT) - On Wednesday, Governor Andy Beshear and First Lady Britainy Beshear received the new, variant-specific, Covid-19 booster, known as the Bivalent Booster.

The new booster targets the B.A.4 and B.A5 subvariants of the Omicron variant.

Kentucky River District’s Public Health Director Scott Lockard said, if you are looking to get protected, you need to know if you are eligible.

“Pretty much the rule of thumb is that if you’ve had your primary series and you’re monovalent booster, and it’s been two months since your last boost, than you are able to get the Bivalent booster,” he said.

The CDC recommends the Bivalent booster for everyone over the age of 12.

With the B.A.5 subvariant accounting for nearly 90% of new Covid-19 cases in the United States, Lockard sees a yearly, updated Covid-19 shot, like the Bivalant, to be the new norm.

“Well there’s already been some discussion about changing the way we talk about boosters, that we may no longer refer to them as boosts,” he said. “But just as our annual vaccination, I mean that’s what we do with flu shots now.”

The Bivalent booster is already available at some pharmacies and clinics, with the Kentucky River District Health Department rolling it out by next week.

Lockard added the flu shot is also available.

“People can even get both their Bivalent booster and the flu shot at the same time,” he said. “There’s been no indication that you can’t do that if you are a healthy individual.”

For more information on whether or not you should get the new booster, contact your local healthcare provider.

You can also go here for more information.

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