Your Questions Answered
Question: What is a bivalent vaccine?
Answer: Also referred to as an “updated booster,” the FDA-authorized Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent boosters include:
- An mRNA component of the original strain that provides an immune response that is broadly protective against COVID-19.
- An mRNA component in common between the Omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5 lineages to provide better protection against COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant.
According to the FDA, the BA.4 and BA.5 lineages of the Omicron variant are currently causing most cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and are predicted to circulate this fall and winter. In June, the agency’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted overwhelmingly to include an omicron component in COVID-19 booster vaccines.
Question: Who can get an updated booster?
Answer: All eligible students, campus employees and health employees can receive the updated booster.
For the bivalent vaccine booster, you must have already received the original vaccination series with any approved vaccine, with or without any subsequent booster dosing. The bivalent vaccine booster should be received at least two months after completing the initial series.
Please note: To ensure the best immune response to the vaccine and to minimize side effects, it is recommended that persons who have recently contracted COVID-19 wait at least two months before getting the bivalent booster.
Question: How do I schedule a vaccination appointment?
