WISCONSIN — The Wisconsin Department of Health on Thursday urged residents to get the updated COVID-19 booster before the holidays. 

What You Need To Know

  • The Food and Drug Administration recently expanded eligibility for the updated booster for children ages 5-11

  • Doses of the updated COVID-19 boosters for the newly eligible age groups are expected to arrive in Wisconsin over the next several weeks

  • People are encouraged to check with their local health clinics or visit vaccines.gov  to find vaccination sites for specific age groups

The Food and Drug Administration recently expanded eligibility for the updated booster for children ages 5-11. Previously, the boosters were only recommended for those 12 and older.

Doses of the updated COVID-19 boosters for the newly eligible age groups are expected to arrive in Wisconsin over the next several weeks, according to the DHS. Pharmacies, health centers and clinics are continuing to make appointments available as their booster doses arrive.

“Fall has arrived and the holiday season will soon be here, and this means more of us will gather indoors in homes and other spaces in closer contact with others. We encourage all Wisconsinites to make plans to boost their own and their loved ones’ protection against COVID-19,” said DHS Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake in a press release. “Everyone 5 and older is now eligible for the updated boosters. This means nearly all school-age children, as well as adolescents and adults, can boost their body’s defenses against COVID-19 to help prevent the most severe symptoms of COVID-19 and reduce the spread.”

The updated COVID-19 boosters not only target the original strain of COVID-19, but it also targets the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants. Data shows the highly contagious BA.5 Omicron subvariant makes up about 90% of cases nationally.

“Staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines can protect kids against the serious outcomes of COVID-19 such as MIS-C, long COVID, hospitalization, and death,” said Stephanie Schauer, DHS Division of Public Health Immunization Program Manager, in a press release. “Now that everyone 5 and older is eligible for updated boosters, it means that even more people can get restored protection against the virus as well as broader protection against newer variants.”

Everyone 6 months and older is recommended to get their primary series vaccination to protect against COVID-19. People are encouraged to check with their local health clinics or visit vaccines.gov to find vaccination sites for specific age groups.

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