State health department greenlights additional COVID-19 boosters for high-risk adults

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is greenlighting additional COVID-19 booster shots for older adults and others at high risk for severe illness. 

The new guidance says anyone over age 65 is eligible for another bivalent booster if it’s been at least 4 months since their last jab. People with compromised immune systems can get one if it’s been at least two months since their last dose.  

Bivalent boosters protect against the omicron variants of the virus in addition to the original version. 

The change is based on new CDC recommendations issued on Wednesday. The latest update also says that the original two-dose monovalent mRNA vaccines will no longer be recommended for use. 

Instead, anyone age 6 and older will be considered up-to-date on their vaccinations if they’ve gotten at least one bivalent dose, regardless of whether they completed a two-dose primary series.

Only 22% of eligible North Carolinians have received an updated booster, as of March 29. 

Vaccine providers can be found at Myspot.nc.gov.