Updated COVID-19 Vaccines Now Available in the US: Over 2 Million Americans Vaccinated in 2 Weeks

Updated COVID-19 vaccines are now available in the United States. (EFE/EPA/CAROLINE BLUMBERG)

More than 2 million U.S. citizens have received the new COVID-19 vaccine in the two weeks since they were approved. According to the Department of Health (HHS), it was not easy to overcome the initial barriers that insurance companies put up, among other problems such as contradictory messages from local officials who, for example, in Florida, advised against the scientific criteria of the Administration of Food and Drugs (FDA).

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For the first time, the United States has more effective vaccines for new strains of COVID-19, flu and RSV, diseases that intensify during the fall and winter. Health authorities have expressed concern that vaccine fatigue, after so many campaigns during and after the coronavirus pandemic, and the inconvenience of obtaining them may leave many people unprotected.

This Thursday, September 28, Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), provided statements about these vaccines. “We have to use them. “Right now is the right time,” she commented to the AP media.

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Flu vaccines and the updated COVID-19 dose are recommended in almost all countries; This year, RSV has also been emphasized for people over 60 and pregnant women.

William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University and the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases observed: “These vaccines may not be perfect at preventing absolutely all infections from these diseases, but they do turn a severe case into a milder one.”

It is important to note that the vaccine has been updated to protect against new versions of the coronavirus and that the 2023-2024 campaign appears important since infections, hospitalizations and deaths began to increase during this summer.

The United States recommends vaccines against new strains of COVID-19 and flu, diseases that intensify during the northern fall and winter. (Gettyimages)

The majority of American citizens have not received a dose against the coronavirus in approximately a year. The truth is that protection against COVID-19, whether due to vaccination or previous infection, decreases over time. Therefore, it is recommended that people over 12 years of age will need only one vaccine during the fall. On the other hand, younger children may need additional doses depending on their immunization and infection history.

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In recent days, pharmacies and clinics have begun to open more appointments for people over 12 years of age, while manufacturers Pfizer and Moderna have stated that there are plenty of supplies and that millions of vaccines have already been distributed.

According to Mandy Cohen, vaccines for adults have already been shipped in the first instance, while doses for children under 12 years of age have begun to circulate and all supplies are already being completed.

Since last week, the CVS pharmacy chain announced that doses for children 5 years and older began to arrive; However, this varies depending on the location.

Over the past year, fewer Americans have gotten vaccinated against the flu, a discouraging gap that the government seeks to reverse.

The indications are that people should get vaccinated against the flu during the fall, as the virus also mutates each year. This disease, like COVID-19, is more dangerous for older adults and the general population who suffer from lung and heart problems.

2023-09-29 15:59:00
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