Galveston County Health District (GCHD) today will begin offering the updated Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccines, following approvals from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Federal Drug Administration.

The Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent booster vaccine is recommended for anyone ages 12 years and older, while the Moderna bivalent booster vaccine is for anyone ages 18 and older. The booster dose should be given at least two months after completion of the primary vaccine series or most recent booster dose. Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna booster doses are interchangeable.

?Everyone should get this updated booster dose when eligible,? said Dr. Philip Keiser, GCHD CEO and Galveston County local health authority. ?These updated booster vaccines specifically target Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 and offer better protection against variants that are more transmissible and immune-evading. And they still offer protection against the original virus.?

The updated bivalent booster vaccines are available at the health district?s immunization clinic, 9850-B Emmett F. Lowry Expressway, Suite B-104 in Texas City. Hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. with extended hours until 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The clinic opens at 10 a.m. the second Tuesday of the month. No appointments are required. Walk-ins welcome.

All other recommended COVID-19 vaccine and booster doses are also available at the immunization clinic.

For more information, visit our COVID-19 vaccine resource page and the CDC.