Everyone 12 and Older is Eligible: Federal and state health officials are recommending that everyone 12 and older get this updated shot from Pfizer, and from Moderna for individuals age 18 years and older. Individuals are eligible two months from their last vaccine dose of any kind, whether it is a primary or booster dose. *Of note, federal health officials expect to approve updated booster shots for other pediatric groups in the coming weeks. To find locations near you to receive the bivalent booster click here.

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Stronger Protection Against Omicron Variants: The bivalent booster shot adds Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 spike protein components to the current vaccine in order to target newer, more transmissible variants. The FDA reports a better immune response in people who received the new bivalent booster. As of today, BA.5 currently accounts for 79.2% sequenced cases in the state and 90% of sequenced cases in the country. Both BA.4 and BA.5 are predicted to continue to circulate in the United States this fall and winter.

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GoVax Call Center Outreach: Maryland’s GoVax Call Center— which is available 7 days a week—will begin a new call and text-based outreach campaign to eligible Marylanders this week. The call center continues to offer individuals homebound vaccination options and rideshare options for individuals with transportation access issues. Call 1-855-MDGOVAX (1-855-634-6829) to schedule a booster appointment today, or visit http://covidvax.maryland.gov/

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For more information on staying up to date with vaccinations please visit CDC or the MD Vaccination Tool 

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To find a Covid-19 Testing center closest to you, please visit: https://covidlink.maryland.gov/content/testing/