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COVID-19 booster available for children and teens over the age of 5

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston-Riggs
Published October 17, 2022 at 10:19 AM EDT
Despite global pledges on vaccine supply, only 7% of Africa's population is vaccinated.
Simon Maina
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AFP via Getty Images
Children and teens 5 and older can now receive the updated COVID-19 booster, specifically made to protect against the latest COVID-19 variants.

Children and teens 5 and older can now receive the updated COVID-19 booster, specifically made to protect against the latest COVID-19 variants.

The new booster is becoming available in North Carolina following the Food and Drug Administration’s emergency use authorization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation.

Officials with the state health department said the updated booster is referred to as a bivalent vaccine, as it targets both the original coronavirus strain and the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants. As of mid-September, these variants made up about 80% of COVID-19 cases in North Carolina.

Children and teens may be able to get the updated COVID-19 booster and other routine vaccines they are due for at the same visit, including during routine checkups. State health officials said the booster, like all COVID-19 vaccines, is safe to get alongside the annual flu shot.

Annette Weston-Riggs
Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. She has been involved in the media industry in eastern North Carolina for more than three years. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to ENC to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of toddler and baby cuddling, reading, designing costumes for children’s theater and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
See stories by Annette Weston-Riggs