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The Updated COVID-19 Booster Has Been Available For A Month… And Ignored By The Vast Majority
Vaccine mandates have caused pushback.
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Markus Spiske/Unsplash
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Topline:
Just 5% of eligible Angelenos have received the new bivalent COVID-19 booster, one month into the rollout. That’s about 355,000 people.
Why This Matters: For the first time the shots match the circulating virus. The tweaked shots target both the original coronavirus strain and the currently circulating omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5. Public health officials expect to see another COVID-19 wave around Thanksgiving, and warn it could be worse if more people don’t get boosted now.
Who Can Get Boosted: The CDC recommends that everyone 12 and older get an updated booster as long as it’s been two months since their last shot.
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What About Little Kids? Authorization of the bivalent boosters for younger children ages 5 to 11 may be just a few weeks away. If federal health officials give the green light, the boosters could be available for younger children before the end of October.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
