I’m pleased that so many Arizonans – better than 50,000 as of last Wednesday – have received COVID-19 Omicron boosters targeting the subvariants that currently dominate. This is the best way to make sure your immune protection is up-to-date, especially if you are older or have a weakened immune system.
One challenge being seen across the nation is a temporarily limited supply of the Moderna Omicron booster, approved for use in those 18 and older, as that vaccine maker ramps up production to meet orders. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised state health departments that the Moderna supply issues should be resolved in approximately two weeks.
However, there are ample supplies of the Pfizer Omicron booster, which is available to those 12 and older.
If a provider tells you it doesn’t have the Moderna Omicron booster available at the moment and you don’t want to wait, please check azhealth.gov/FindVaccine to get a list of providers offering Pfizer Bivalent Booster (age 12+). Our Vaccine Finder allows you to filter by vaccine type to find providers in your area offering this booster, also referred to as bivalent because it targets the original virus causing COVID-19 in addition to the Omicron variant.
You also can get your influenza vaccine at the same time, so be sure to double the benefit from your visit.
Making sure you are up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccination protects you not just from hospitalization and death but from long COVID. As with other COVID-19 vaccines that have dramatically reduced the chances of severe illness, these boosters have met rigorous standards for safety.
So please, get the Omicron booster as soon as you can, even if it means doing a little checking online should you need to look for the Pfizer version.
