New bivalent booster shots available for kids as young as 5 at Chicago clinics, pharmacies, and more
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Updated COVID-19 booster shots are now available for kids ages five to 11, and city-operated and supported clinics in Chicago are expected to begin administering the vaccines on Monday.
The new boosters target both the original COVID-19 strain and the omicron variant.
Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said parents can take their kids as young as 5 to get the new booster. You can find a pharmacy or clinic with the new boosters near you at vaccine.gov.
"Your provider will have it; your pediatrician; and then otherwise the city offers many, many opportunities for both kids and adults to come up to date with their COVID vaccine," Arwady said. "Everybody should get a booster this fall, even if you've had COVID vaccines in the past. If you're over the age of 5, this one is new, better, and excellent protection against omicron heading into the winter."
There's a big push locally and nationwide to get more people boosted, as well as to get a flu shot, especially as we settle into cold and flu season.
"It's really important. We already are seeing our children's hospitals here in Chicago almost full – and it's only October – because of all of the respiratory viruses that are circulating in kids; because for a number of years we were masking, kids weren't getting together as much, and the problem is that we know we're going to have a COVID season, we're going to have a flu season, and getting both of those vaccines help – for your family – make it something you don't have to worry about, at least certainly not as much heading into winter," Arwady said. "But also, for Chicago, it's what helps keep us protected, keep our hospitals available for people who need them, and importantly just make COVID and flu things that don't need to be top of mind this winter. That's everybody's goal."
Right now, Chicago's COVID-19 risk is low, but cases did tick up slightly last week. Arwady said she's worried Chicago could go back to the medium risk level in the coming months.
"I think everybody who follows COVID expects that we will see some surge over the winter months. That's just how we know respiratory viruses behave when we're all inside, when we see the spread of other viruses," Arwady said. "The goal, though, we'd love to stay at low all winter. What I really want is to avoid high. When we get to a high risk, that means not only are we seeing a lot of COVID, but we're seeing a lot of people hospitalized. We're seeing a lot of people die. And I never want to go back to 2020. And everybody getting a booster this fall – ages 5 and up – is going to be our most important thing."
Arwady said people can get a COVID booster and a flu shot at the same time, one in each arm.
As COVID numbers start to rise again, Arwady said people should start wearing masks again, especially on public transit or traveling.
"Those continue to be settings where people sometimes put let guard down, and we see more spread," she said. "Otherwise, if you are not feeling well, put a mask on. It helps with COVID, it helps with flu, it helps with colds. And take a test at the first sign of any symptoms. If you do get diagnosed with COVID, there are treatments available now that can help keep you out of the hospital, so call your doctor."
Arwady said COVID vaccines remain the most important tool to limiting the spread of the virus.
You can watch her full interview in the video player above.
