Uptake of new boosters targeting variants of omicron is slowly increasing, in a change from the days when getting a COVID-19 vaccine appointment felt like a competitive sport.
When the original shots rolled out in early 2021, a crush of eager recipients overwhelmed the limited supply. The situation was less extreme when third shots were authorized that fall, but there was still a dash for shots that tapered off relatively quickly.
The new shots expose the immune system to the spike proteins from both the original version of the virus and from the BA.4 and BA.5 variants, which have the same spike. The spike is what allows the virus to latch onto cells, and antibodies specific to a particular spike can disrupt that process. About 90% of COVID-19 samples sequenced in Colorado in the week of Sept. 18 — the last one with data — contained BA.5.
Nationwide, about 14.8 million people, or just under 7% of eligible people 12 and older, had received an updated booster as of Wednesday. Children between five and 11 only became eligible for boosters this week.. More than 20 million people received third shots in the first six weeks after they became available, even though they were only authorized for those over 65 and people who had chronic conditions.
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