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COVID booster shot approval generates questions about eligibility

Vaccine Shot
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Vaccine Shot

Grand Rapids-based Corewell Health is answering “who is eligible for the Covid booster?” Tuesday, an independent advisory panel from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released eligibility recommendations.

“This vaccine should generate antibodies that protect against all the currently circulating variants.”

That’s Dr. Matthew Sims, director of infectious diseases research at Corewell Health.

“Including BA.2.86 which is the recent one that’s very rare but has a lot of mutations in it.”

The booster is approved for ages 6-months and up. Much like the flu shot, the Covid shot will be produced annually targeting newer viruses.

“The original shot’s not available anymore. This is going to be the new shot. And so, if you’ve never gotten it before the current recommendation is you’ll get three shots. You’ll get the initial two series and then you’ll get a booster within six months or so. And then you’ll be back on the schedule where you’ll get the booster once a year.”

Dr. Sims says the booster provides protection and recommends high-risk patients get it as soon as it’s available.

Patrick joined WGVU Public Media in December, 2008 after eight years of investigative reporting at Grand Rapids' WOOD-TV8 and three years at WYTV News Channel 33 in Youngstown, Ohio. As News and Public Affairs Director, Patrick manages our daily radio news operation and public interest television programming. An award-winning reporter, Patrick has won multiple Michigan Associated Press Best Reporter/Anchor awards and is a three-time Academy of Television Arts & Sciences EMMY Award winner with 14 nominations.