Updated COVID vaccines for the 2023-2024 season

The updated vaccines target more recent COVID-19 strains. COVID-19 vaccines are provided by VA at no cost to VA health care employees and Veterans enrolled in VA health care. VA also provides free COVID-19 testing to eligible Veterans.

Due to changes in the virus, it is important to get the updated vaccine as soon as you can visit the Medical Center or by scheduling an appointment at the Community Based Outpatient Clinic you receive care from us.

 

The Cincinnati VA Medical Center is administering updated COVID vaccines product from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna based upon the availability of these products Monday – Friday, 8am-3:30pm, in the Primary Care Waiting Area at the Medical Center (3200 Vine Street).  

 

For those that cannot make it to the Primary Care Waiting Area at the Medical Center (3200 Vine Street) Monday – Friday between 8am -3:30pm. There are extended hours available on the following dates: October 3rd from 3:30pm to 5:30 pm. Saturday October 21st from 8:00am to 12 pm and October 24th from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 am.

 

For Veterans who use any one of our six Community Based Outpatient Clinics, appointments can be scheduled by calling the Community Based Outpatient Clinics directly.  To locate a clinic phone number, click on the link https://www.va.gov/cincinnati-health-care/locations/.

 

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently issued the following updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine recommendations:

 

1. All adults should receive one updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine dose, if it’s been at least 2 months since receiving any older COVID-19 vaccine.
2. Anyone who has not yet received any COVID-19 vaccine should receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine.

 

       3. People with moderately to severely immunocompromising conditions may receive additional updated    2023-2024 COVID-19 doses, if recommended by their provider.

 

You can also receive your updated shot at no cost to you outside of VA. Make sure to take your COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card when you go! If you received your vaccine outside of the VA, we encourage you to share this information with your VA health care team.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

 

1. Why are updated COVID-19 vaccines being recommended now?

 

The COVID-19 variants circulating now are different from when the vaccine was updated last year. The updated 2023-2024 vaccines target more recent variants. Additionally, most Americans had their most recent vaccine dose many months ago and have reduced protection against COVID-19 illness. Data show that receiving an updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine increases the immune response. The goal of an increased immune response is to improve protection from becoming seriously ill from COVID-19.

 

Due to changes in the virus and waning immunity, it is important to get the updated 2023-2024 vaccine as soon as you are eligible.

 

2. How do updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines work?

 

These updated vaccines work the same way as the previous versions but have an updated COVID-19 target.

 

Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna (updated 2023-2024 formulations available now)

 

These vaccines use mRNA to teach our body how to make the spike protein to induce an immune response. This same technology was used in the original mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and in the bivalent booster vaccines that were updated in September 2022. The mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have been safely administered to hundreds of millions of Americans.

 

Novavax (updated 2023-2024 formulation expected in fall 2023)

 

Novavax is a “protein subunit” COVID-19 vaccine. Novavax injects the coronavirus spike protein into the body to induce an immune response. We’ve used this type of vaccine in the U.S for more than 30 years. It’s the same type of vaccine as some of our current shingles and flu vaccines.

 

3. How are these updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines different from the other COVID-19 vaccines?

 

The updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines target a newer strain of COVID-19, called XBB 1.5, that first appeared in the U.S. in 2023-2024. This is the third time the COVID-19 vaccine has been updated. Older vaccines targeted the original COVID-19 strain from 2020 and the BA4/BA5 strains from 2022.

 

4. Who can get an updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S.?

 

One single dose of an updated 2023-2024 vaccine is recommended for all adults, if it’s been at least two months since receiving any older COVID-19 vaccine.

 

One single dose of an updated 2023-2024 vaccine is recommended for adults who have not yet received any COVID-19 vaccine.

 

Additionally,

 

People with moderately to severely immunocompromising conditions may receive additional updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 doses, if recommended by their provider.

 

COVID-19 vaccines are provided by VA at no cost to VA health care employees and Veterans enrolled in VA health care.

 

5. Can I get a flu shot and updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 shot at the same time?

 

Yes. It is safe to receive both a COVID-19 vaccine and a flu vaccine at the same visit. It is also safe to get other types of vaccines at the same time as your COVID-19 vaccine.

 

6. What are the risks of getting an updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine?

 

People may have side effects from a COVID-19 vaccine, including pain, redness or swelling at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea. Serious side effects are rare but may occur. COVID-19 vaccines have been administered safely to hundreds of millions of Americans.

 

7. Should I get an updated vaccine if I already had COVID?

 

COVID-19 vaccination is recommended even if you have already had COVID-19 infection. Unfortunately, you can get re-infected with COVID-19 and have severe illness even if your first infection(s) was mild.

 

If you currently have COVID-19, even if you do not have symptoms, you should speak with your health care provider before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. People with COVID-19 should wait to get an updated vaccine until after they have recovered and can come out of isolation. In addition, people who recovered from COVID-19 within the last 3 months may speak with their health care provider about the best time to get an updated vaccine to maximize protection.

 

8. I already got COVID-19 booster(s). Do I need to get this updated 2023-2024 vaccine?

 

If you have not yet received an updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine and it’s been more than 2 months since your most recent older COVID-19 vaccine, yes. The updated 2023-2024 vaccines target more recent COVID-19 strains. Due to changes in the virus, it is important to get the updated vaccine as soon as possible.

 

9. I got Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for my primary series and booster(s). Can I get a Moderna updated 2023-2024 vaccine?

 

Yes. You may get an updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine made by a manufacturer different from your primary series.

 

10. Will I need more COVID-19 vaccinations after this? How many times will I need to get a COVID-19 vaccine and how often?

 

Yes. We anticipate that the virus will continue to change in the future, and we may need updated COVID-19 vaccines again.

 

The timing and type of future COVID-19 vaccines will depend on how the virus evolves and how well the protection we have against the virus from past infections and vaccinations lasts.