Wisconsin Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake’s Statement on CDC’s COVID-19 Bivalent Booster Vaccine Recommendations

“The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is pleased to see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommendation that eligible Wisconsinites will soon have additional protection against COVID-19 with the approval of COVID-19 bivalent boosters. These bivalent boosters were developed through rigorous processes to provide broad protection against COVID-19 by including components of the original virus strain and the Omicron variant.

This recommendation follows the decision by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to authorize a single-dose Moderna COVID-19 bivalent booster vaccine for people 18 and up, and a single-dose Pfizer COVID-19 bivalent booster vaccine for people 12 and up. With the authorization of these updated boosters, the FDA amended its authorization of the previous (monovalent) vaccines for use as booster doses. These are no longer authorized for use as booster doses for people 12 and older, and remain authorized as safe and effective as primary series vaccines against COVID-19 and as a single booster dose for people 5 to 11.

Once CDC releases updated clinical guidance, DHS will review the recommendation as quickly as possible and update our vaccination guidance accordingly.

Federal, state, and local partners are working hard to make bivalent vaccines available as soon as possible through multiple channels. We anticipate that shipments of these vaccines may begin arriving at pharmacies, health centers, and clinics in a rolling manner over the next several weeks, and these locations will make appointments available as their doses arrive. During this time, those 12 and older who may have previously scheduled appointments for a booster dose will need to wait for the arrival of the updated boosters. As more details become available from federal partners, DHS will continue to share information so Wisconsinites can get protected as soon as possible.”

COVID-19 vaccines remain available to all Wisconsinites at no cost regardless of immigration or health insurance status. Anyone can schedule an appointment for the vaccine using a variety of options, including with their health care provider, at community-based vaccination clinics, local and tribal health departments, or pharmacies. Vaccination sites across Wisconsin may choose to provide vaccines to specific age groups. Parents and guardians are encouraged to check with their local health clinics or visit vaccines.gov to find vaccination sites for specific age groups.

For free, confidential support finding health care and community resources near you, dial 211. For up-to-date information about Wisconsin’s COVID-19 response, visit the DHS COVID-19 webpage. We encourage you to follow @DHSWI on Facebook, Twitter, or dhs.wi on Instagram for more information about COVID-19.