Callaway County Health Department offering bivalent COVID-19 vaccine

The Callaway County Health Department is located at 4950 County Road 304. (Fulton Sun file photo)
The Callaway County Health Department is located at 4950 County Road 304. (Fulton Sun file photo)


The Callaway County Health Department is now offering second bivalent COVID-19 vaccine doses to adults 65 and older, as well as those who are immunocompromised.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released new recommendations. One of the recommendations is for those 65 and older to receive a second bivalent dose if four months have passed since their first dose.

The CDC also recommends those who are immunocompromised to receive a second bivalent dose if two months have passed since their first dose.

The bivalent COVID-19 vaccine targets two virus strains, the omicron strain and the original SARS-CoV-2 virus, a health department release states.

A second dose of the bivalent vaccine increases protection against COVID-19, "helping to prevent infection, severe disease, hospitalization and death."

"As the pandemic has evolved, scientifically-based recommendations for vaccines have evolved along with it," Andrea Bedrosian, Callaway County Health Department administrator, said in a release. "Although originally helpful earlier in the pandemic, the primary monovalent mRNA vaccine series are no longer indicated, and we are focusing on the more recent bivalent vaccine approach."

The original mRNA COVID-19 vaccine doses are no longer recommended or dispensed in the U.S.

Less than 15% of Missourians have received a dose of the bivalent vaccine.

One dose of the bivalent vaccine is recommended to everyone ages 6-65 who is not immunocompromised, a release states.

A single dose of the vaccine is now all that is needed to considered fully vaccinated for all who fit in this group.

One or more doses might be recommended to children between 6 months and 5 years old. The amount depends on age, vaccine and what vaccine was used for previous doses.

The vaccines does are available Wednesdays 8 a.m.-4 p.m. You can register to receive a dose by calling 573-642-6881.

The vaccines remain free, and insurance information is not required.