How has the rollout of the brand new COVID-19 vaccine boosters gone thus far? Photographs are plentiful, waits are quick, however demand is unsure.
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
New COVID booster pictures designed to guard towards omicron can be found to anyone 12 and older. However are individuals scrambling to get jabbed this time round? NPR well being correspondent Rob Stein joins us. Rob, thanks a lot for being with us.
ROB STEIN, BYLINE: Thanks for having me, Scott.
SIMON: These new boosters have been accessible for the reason that Labor Day weekend. What do we all know concerning the rollout?
STEIN: So the federal government ordered greater than 170 million doses of the brand new pictures, that are up to date variations of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines that match the omicron subvariants infecting individuals proper now. About 25 million pictures have been shipped to greater than 26,000 medical doctors workplaces, pharmacies, clinics and different locations across the nation. And in contrast to earlier rollouts of the vaccines and boosters, there seems to be loads of vaccine accessible and no issues getting a shot. I talked about this with Claire Hannan on the Affiliation of Immunization Managers.
CLAIRE HANNAN: I have never heard of any individuals having to attend. I had a straightforward time getting an appointment. After I made an appointment and I went, there have been many individuals that got here in as walk-ins. So I believe it’s extremely straightforward to seek out the vaccine.
STEIN: However, , Scott, the massive query is how a lot demand will there be for these new boosters?
SIMON: Effectively, sure. And also you anticipate – have many individuals have been entering into to get jabbed?
STEIN: Yeah. So, , greater than 200 million persons are eligible for the brand new pictures. And the federal government hasn’t launched any numbers but about what number of have truly rolled up their sleeves thus far. That is supposedly coming subsequent week. However, , it might be sluggish going. The general public who’ve been eligible for the primary two boosters by no means acquired them. And demand has dropped with every new spherical of pictures. Numerous individuals have simply form of moved on from the pandemic. I talked about this with Jennifer Kates on the Kaiser Household Basis, which has been monitoring the vaccination campaigns.
JENNIFER KATES: I do suppose it should be an uphill battle. I do suppose it is a powerful promote simply due to the place we’re on this level within the pandemic. Individuals are weary. Individuals are unsure about what is the profit to me? Why ought to I do that? I assume I am a little bit pessimistic that that is going to maneuver them.
STEIN: That stated, Kates says some individuals who skipped the sooner boosters say they’ve been ready for brand new pictures that concentrate on the newest variants. And Claire Hannan says thus far, demand appears on par with earlier booster rollouts.
SIMON: What is the Biden administration saying and doing?
STEIN: The administration simply launched a brand new marketing campaign to attempt to persuade individuals to get the pictures. Federal well being officers are emphasizing that whereas it could appear to be the pandemic is over, tons of of persons are nonetheless dying day by day from COVID, and one other wave might very effectively hit the nation this fall and winter. I talked to Dr. Ashish Jha, the White Home COVID-19 response coordinator. He thinks many individuals are ready to get their new boosters with their annual flu pictures. And the brand new pictures might be extra engaging as a result of they’re hopefully the final booster individuals will want for not less than one other yr.
ASHISH JHA: I’m hopeful that folks perceive that with fall and winter forward, the dangers as individuals collect – we’ll have little or no mitigation. You are not going to see numerous mask-wearing and social distancing. Folks need to collect safely for the vacations over Thanksgiving, over Christmas. It will be actually essential for individuals to get this vaccine.
STEIN: So Jha says anybody who hasn’t gotten a shot or been contaminated inside the final three months ought to get one of many new boosters and is urging individuals to get the pictures by Halloween so that they’ll be protected by means of the winter.
SIMON: NPR well being correspondent Rob Stein, thanks a lot.
STEIN: You guess, Scott.
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