Indiana continues its rollout of new COVID-19 boosters, but they aren’t yet available in all areas.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently approved the updated boosters, which target the common BA.4 and BA.5 strains of the omicron variant.
People 12 and older can get the new Pfizer shots; those 18 and older can get Moderna. All patients must have received at least their initial vaccine series with their most recent shot at least two months prior.
Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) spokesperson Jeni O’Malley told WFPL News Monday the department has ordered more than 128,000 doses of the bivalent boosters – 37,700 of Moderna and 90,600 of Pfizer.
They’re shipping the shots in waves, and the department is working with outside company Zotec Partners to update thestate vaccine scheduling system.
For instance right now, some sites are listed as having the new vaccine, but online appointments can’t yet be made.
That’s expected to be fully updated within the next two weeks, O’Malley said in an email.
On Monday, the website showed more than 440 locations statewide offering the new boosters. This includes multiple retail pharmacies including some Walgreens, CVS and Meijer locations in Southern Indiana.
But the website hasn’t updated all sites which have the new formulas. Residents can’t yet schedule online for the Clark and Floyd County health departments, but both started providing the shots on a walk-in basis last week until that’s available.
The Floyd County Health Department is offering the new COVID boosters from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at 1917 Bono Road in New Albany.
Floyd County has also started doing vaccine clinics at Indiana University Southeast, with the next scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
To check if appointments are available in Southern Indiana, visit ourshot.in.gov. Residents can also check with their health care providers or local pharmacies, or call 211 (866-211-9966) for help with scheduling an appointment.
