So I’m just under 65 (bday January) and last Covid booster was last fall. I was waiting for the next revision of vaccines to get the next booster but — should I get it now even if it’s the older formula?
The Covid-19 vaccine this fall will be the updated formula. However, keep in mind that Covid-19 hasn't changed too much. It's still Omicron descendant and, honestly, something is better than nothing. If you don't have a chronic condition, there is a high probability you won't be able to get the updated Covid-19 vaccine this fall after the license change.
I tried to get the current Covid booster about a month ago. Like others, I got my last booster last fall. Both the local pharmacy and my clinic said I was not eligible, since I am under 65.
Yes, same for me. I was able to sign up, but when I got there, they told me that to give me another dose of 24/25 is a "booster dose" since I had one in fall 24, and I don't qualify as I am not at risk or 65+. Also, they have 'standing orders" that mean that they can't disregard insurance info and give me one as a self-pay option, unless I met that same criteria. They also seemed surprised that I was questioning avability of a vaccine for people like myself in the fall. They were pretty nonchalent about saying I should just come back in October. I called several pharmacies around me in NH and VT and the info was the same at each one.
I'm 60 and not immunocompromised and last got my COVID-19 booster in October '24. After reading your column, I immediately called my pharmacy to see about getting another (nonupdated) booster this week. They informed me that as of two weeks ago, I'm no longer eligible. Are they mistaken about this?
I’m in Ga. 55 and healthy. I was able to walk into Walgreens and get a booster yesterday (Monday) HOWEVER I had to pay full price $200. I justify it by considering possible missed days at work from being sick, or worse, the cost of a chronic illness like long haul covid.
They too tried to tell me the new one would be out in a couple of weeks. When I asked him “Can you guarantee that I’ll be qualified and able to walk in and get the updated formula, he said “Well that’s true, no I can’t”
So I opted to go ahead and pay for it yesterday. Maybe Novavax will be approved eventually since it’s not MRNA, (eye roll) but I’ll just take what I can get now I guess.
Good luck and I hope they don’t give you any pushback. It’s sad that pharmacist aren’t letting people know who are under 65. And may actually be giving bad advice to some people like teachers healthcare workers who are under 65 and don’t know that they may not be able to get another booster.
If I hobble in with my orthopedic boot, I don't think I'll have a hard time that I'm currently in an extended period of "physical activity", so I think I'll wait for the new formulation.
(And for anyone who thinks this is a cheat, it's not - "physical inactivity" counts based on Pradad's NEJM letter, and the CDC defines "physical activity" as not having exercised recreationally in the past 30 days. My PT doesn't even start for another 4 weeks)
I was told by a Walgreens pharmacist that the previous vaccine is only approved for one dose to those under 65 and without a preexisting condition. Since I’ve already had the current vaccine I’m ineligible for a second. I told her that it was likely I would not be allowed to get the new vaccine when it comes out next month but she didn’t believe that. Other pharmacists seem equally unaware of that potential
I went ahead and got mine a couple of weeks ago because one of the YLE newsletters said that there wouldn’t be a new formula this year since HHS is requiring placebo trials (which at this point are not only unethical but virtually impossible) before any new formulas will be approved. But even at the CVS I went to, there seemed to be a lot of confusion about what will happen.
Because fall travel is popular with those who are now old enough to be empty-nesters, would appreciate some nuance in guidance to account for travel. Thank you!
I'm 60 with the same question. I think I might ask my doc if she'll green-light me as "high risk", but then again, I might just go ahead and get it now & if I'm able to get a new formulation later, I can do that.
Actually question is moot: CVS won't let anyone schedule until the new formulation arrives. I've got a call into my doc to see if she'll write a note (or whatever) that I'm "high risk" and see if that will clear me to get the new vax.
I made an appointment to get mine at the pharmacy and they called to tell me the new one wouldn't be out until September and that I should probably wait for that. I asked if the vaccine was being reformulated and they just said the new one will be out in a month.
I’m 78; had horrible reactions to the mRNA bivalents, specifically the bivalent in the spring of 2023, and the RSV vax. I was really hoping for the novavax again, as that seemed fine. Was last year’s mRNA a monovalent? The pharmacist told me no new vaccines had been signed off on as there was no one to do it.
Is the COVID-19 vaccine going to be a new formula this fall?
You mentioned that the time to get it is now if you're not over 65 or in a risk category; I would like my teenagers to have the vaccine, but would prefer to maybe take the gamble and wait if the current vaccine will be out of date based on the new variants this year.
I'd really like for them to get it, but I will be kicking myself if they get it now and then there's a newer formulation in a couple months (and somehow they could be eligible, if enough organizations apply pressure for this).
The Covid-19 vaccine this fall will be the updated formula. However, keep in mind that Covid-19 hasn't changed too much. It's still Omicron descendant so the formula isn't too different than it was last year. If your teenagers don't have a chronic condition, there is a high liklihood that they will not be able to get the covid vaccine this fall.
Thanks. My kids don't have qualifying conditions, and I think boosting is a good idea (particularly for my oldest, who lives in a college dorm). I appreciate the input - as it turns out, seems like most pharmacies are no longer giving the old covid vaccines, so we might be out of luck on this. :(
I'm hoping that perhaps communal living (i.e. college) could be a qualifying factor. Fingers crossed.
Hey, alpha-gal gets a mention! I'm in one of the original hot spots, and got it spring of 2020. Nice little companion stressor to the pandemic. I had to self-diagnose and convince my doctor to run the test, since he hadn't even heard of it. He was audibly surprised when the test came back positive. Since then many people I know have come down with it - most in the last year or two. I agree it's spreading rapidly and probably under-reported.
There's one thing I don't understand: why doesn't the immune system stage a response to alpha-gal when eating red meat _before_ you get infected by a tock bite?
I self-diagnosed when my wonderful doc had done lots of tests for my 13 days of diarrhea and they all turned out negative. She was really glad I knew about it and ordered the AGS test, which was positive. She has since read up on it, as have all my docs.
Yeah, those first couple weeks of, "what the hell IS this" aren't very fun. After the test came back the doc seemed more interested in what exactly it was and did some research. Now when I go in, I occasionally hear from him (in vague HIPPA-compliant terms) about other patients he has that have also tested positive in the years since.
My nephews were Boy Scouts in the southeast, and had multiple troop-mates develop a mysterious meat allergy back when no local doctors knew what was causing it. Fortunately for the kids, their parents were pretty quick to link the symptoms to meat (even though that seemed weird and implausible at the time, it was clearly what was happening), adjust their diets, and spread the word to other troop parents.
I am really glad you got a diagnosis, and that your symptoms, while deeply unpleasant, were not life-threatening. Fingers crossed that you will eventually be able to consume meat products again.
This one sentence in your invaluable report says it all about why you and Team YLE are a national treasure: “I’ll return next week with a clear breakdown of what it all means for you.” Thank you all for all you do.
Technically, yes, but it’s complicated. Off-label prescribing is legal and common for many drugs, but vaccines are different because:
1. Pharmacies often won’t—or can’t—administer vaccines off-label, based on corporate policies and state laws governing scope of practice. More than 90% of fall vaccines come from pharmacies.
2. Insurers may not cover off-label use as this type of coverage currently varies widely by insurer, even when deemed medically appropriate by a physician.
3. Although physicians should be able to prescribe and administer off-label, many won’t because of perceived liability challenges and confusion.
4. Many electronic systems (like immunization registries) may block documentation or reimbursement.
So while a provider could prescribe it off-label, in practice, it’s likely that most people won’t be able to access it that way.
Could you please seek out some information on the likely Covid vaccine licensing in Europe and Canada? Many of your readers, including me, travel abroad at various times. Thank you.
What does this mean for the Novavax vaccine? I have had such strong reactions to the mRNA vaccines that I got the Novavax this past spring, and that went better. Any idea if there will be an update for the fall?
I have too! Novavax was licensed and should be avaliable this fall. Who Covid-19 vaccines are available to is the big question (regardless of type of vaccine)
In anticipation of Covid vaccine re-labeling, our whole family got boosters last week. It’s not good timing for most of us, but for some of us, it might be our last chance at the vaccine for a decade or two.
Oh — nobody had Novavax, so we all felt like trash for a few days after our shots. When you do a vaccine update, can you include a mention of whether Novavax will be on the menu? We have a few older folks in the family who need the vaccine, but won’t get it if their only choice is mRNA (due to side effects, not some tinfoil hat nonsense). Really hoping Novavax is available this fall.
I would love info on this, too. I just went looking for a Novavax appointment and no one seems to have it (also because I am a side effect queen with COVID shots ... was hoping to do Novavax this fall for the first time).
I am in CA. My local CVS pharmacies are already not scheduling COVID vaccination appointments. Here is the message I got when trying to schedule this morning. “We are expecting an updated COVID vaccine for the 2025 – 2026 season to be approved in the coming days. Appointments will be available for the updated vaccine as soon as it is approved. Please check back here for the latest update.”
I've heard the same from other states. That CVS already stopped even though the license hasn't changed. I have heard that other local pharmacies do have it still and same with Walgreens.
I am a vaccine provider and many of our COVID vaccine doses expired and we did not reorder anticipating the new formula. We have a few doses for kids because the uptake was dismal in 2024. Each provider may have limited stock or none, therefore the different pockets of availability of the 2024 formula around the country.
Thank you for your information and guidance. We feel we’ve made some better-educated choices based on what we’ve learned here. (That includes getting our Covid boosters last month as we don’t fit the likely new criteria.)
Wasn't expecting my night to involve getting the Covid-19 vaccine, but that's what happened. The pharmacist was clueless about the possibility of the eligibility changing. I was able to easily get it though. I got mine at Walgreens. I'm based in Missouri. I have friends in Rhode Island and California and CVS won't allow them to make an appointment for they both were told the new formulation is coming in a few weeks. My friend in Rhode Island couldn't even get an appointment at her local Walgreens.
Thank you soooo much for everything you do! I became a paid subscriber tonight due to this newsletter!
So I’m just under 65 (bday January) and last Covid booster was last fall. I was waiting for the next revision of vaccines to get the next booster but — should I get it now even if it’s the older formula?
The Covid-19 vaccine this fall will be the updated formula. However, keep in mind that Covid-19 hasn't changed too much. It's still Omicron descendant and, honestly, something is better than nothing. If you don't have a chronic condition, there is a high probability you won't be able to get the updated Covid-19 vaccine this fall after the license change.
I tried to get the current Covid booster about a month ago. Like others, I got my last booster last fall. Both the local pharmacy and my clinic said I was not eligible, since I am under 65.
Yes, same for me. I was able to sign up, but when I got there, they told me that to give me another dose of 24/25 is a "booster dose" since I had one in fall 24, and I don't qualify as I am not at risk or 65+. Also, they have 'standing orders" that mean that they can't disregard insurance info and give me one as a self-pay option, unless I met that same criteria. They also seemed surprised that I was questioning avability of a vaccine for people like myself in the fall. They were pretty nonchalent about saying I should just come back in October. I called several pharmacies around me in NH and VT and the info was the same at each one.
I'm 60 and not immunocompromised and last got my COVID-19 booster in October '24. After reading your column, I immediately called my pharmacy to see about getting another (nonupdated) booster this week. They informed me that as of two weeks ago, I'm no longer eligible. Are they mistaken about this?
I’m in Ga. 55 and healthy. I was able to walk into Walgreens and get a booster yesterday (Monday) HOWEVER I had to pay full price $200. I justify it by considering possible missed days at work from being sick, or worse, the cost of a chronic illness like long haul covid.
They too tried to tell me the new one would be out in a couple of weeks. When I asked him “Can you guarantee that I’ll be qualified and able to walk in and get the updated formula, he said “Well that’s true, no I can’t”
So I opted to go ahead and pay for it yesterday. Maybe Novavax will be approved eventually since it’s not MRNA, (eye roll) but I’ll just take what I can get now I guess.
I’m going to Walgreen’s to get a booster today, and I’m willing to pay full price for the exact reasons you mentioned. Totally worth it in my opinion!
Good luck and I hope they don’t give you any pushback. It’s sad that pharmacist aren’t letting people know who are under 65. And may actually be giving bad advice to some people like teachers healthcare workers who are under 65 and don’t know that they may not be able to get another booster.
If I hobble in with my orthopedic boot, I don't think I'll have a hard time that I'm currently in an extended period of "physical activity", so I think I'll wait for the new formulation.
(And for anyone who thinks this is a cheat, it's not - "physical inactivity" counts based on Pradad's NEJM letter, and the CDC defines "physical activity" as not having exercised recreationally in the past 30 days. My PT doesn't even start for another 4 weeks)
I was told by a Walgreens pharmacist that the previous vaccine is only approved for one dose to those under 65 and without a preexisting condition. Since I’ve already had the current vaccine I’m ineligible for a second. I told her that it was likely I would not be allowed to get the new vaccine when it comes out next month but she didn’t believe that. Other pharmacists seem equally unaware of that potential
I, too, am wondering about this.
I went ahead and got mine a couple of weeks ago because one of the YLE newsletters said that there wouldn’t be a new formula this year since HHS is requiring placebo trials (which at this point are not only unethical but virtually impossible) before any new formulas will be approved. But even at the CVS I went to, there seemed to be a lot of confusion about what will happen.
I have the same question
I have the same question on timing and am 60.
We went ahead and got ours, but we’re also traveling soon and felt it wise. ( in our early 60s)
Because fall travel is popular with those who are now old enough to be empty-nesters, would appreciate some nuance in guidance to account for travel. Thank you!
And same in CA, COVID vaxx is no longer a choice on the CVS website.
Thank you and everyone at YLE for all of the work you do to keep us safe and informed!!
Chiming in with my question about eligibility: do any of the risk categories include health care or school employees?
I'm 60 with the same question. I think I might ask my doc if she'll green-light me as "high risk", but then again, I might just go ahead and get it now & if I'm able to get a new formulation later, I can do that.
And will we need a doctor’s note, or is it self-certification as per usual? There are many high-risk categories.
Actually question is moot: CVS won't let anyone schedule until the new formulation arrives. I've got a call into my doc to see if she'll write a note (or whatever) that I'm "high risk" and see if that will clear me to get the new vax.
I made an appointment to get mine at the pharmacy and they called to tell me the new one wouldn't be out until September and that I should probably wait for that. I asked if the vaccine was being reformulated and they just said the new one will be out in a month.
Subscribe
Update. Was able to get the vaccine at Walgreens w/o hassle. It was “last year’s” formula but that was no issue for me, and was covered.
I’m 78; had horrible reactions to the mRNA bivalents, specifically the bivalent in the spring of 2023, and the RSV vax. I was really hoping for the novavax again, as that seemed fine. Was last year’s mRNA a monovalent? The pharmacist told me no new vaccines had been signed off on as there was no one to do it.
Is the COVID-19 vaccine going to be a new formula this fall?
You mentioned that the time to get it is now if you're not over 65 or in a risk category; I would like my teenagers to have the vaccine, but would prefer to maybe take the gamble and wait if the current vaccine will be out of date based on the new variants this year.
I'd really like for them to get it, but I will be kicking myself if they get it now and then there's a newer formulation in a couple months (and somehow they could be eligible, if enough organizations apply pressure for this).
Thank you for your insight!
The Covid-19 vaccine this fall will be the updated formula. However, keep in mind that Covid-19 hasn't changed too much. It's still Omicron descendant so the formula isn't too different than it was last year. If your teenagers don't have a chronic condition, there is a high liklihood that they will not be able to get the covid vaccine this fall.
It will likely not be available even for folks willing to pay out of pocket?
Thanks. My kids don't have qualifying conditions, and I think boosting is a good idea (particularly for my oldest, who lives in a college dorm). I appreciate the input - as it turns out, seems like most pharmacies are no longer giving the old covid vaccines, so we might be out of luck on this. :(
I'm hoping that perhaps communal living (i.e. college) could be a qualifying factor. Fingers crossed.
Same questions!
Hey, alpha-gal gets a mention! I'm in one of the original hot spots, and got it spring of 2020. Nice little companion stressor to the pandemic. I had to self-diagnose and convince my doctor to run the test, since he hadn't even heard of it. He was audibly surprised when the test came back positive. Since then many people I know have come down with it - most in the last year or two. I agree it's spreading rapidly and probably under-reported.
It is surprising to me that so few clinicians know about the blood test. Glad you got some answers!
There's one thing I don't understand: why doesn't the immune system stage a response to alpha-gal when eating red meat _before_ you get infected by a tock bite?
I self-diagnosed when my wonderful doc had done lots of tests for my 13 days of diarrhea and they all turned out negative. She was really glad I knew about it and ordered the AGS test, which was positive. She has since read up on it, as have all my docs.
Yeah, those first couple weeks of, "what the hell IS this" aren't very fun. After the test came back the doc seemed more interested in what exactly it was and did some research. Now when I go in, I occasionally hear from him (in vague HIPPA-compliant terms) about other patients he has that have also tested positive in the years since.
I learn new stuff on the FB Alpha-Gal page. Especially when somebody posts something educational from the news.
My nephews were Boy Scouts in the southeast, and had multiple troop-mates develop a mysterious meat allergy back when no local doctors knew what was causing it. Fortunately for the kids, their parents were pretty quick to link the symptoms to meat (even though that seemed weird and implausible at the time, it was clearly what was happening), adjust their diets, and spread the word to other troop parents.
I am really glad you got a diagnosis, and that your symptoms, while deeply unpleasant, were not life-threatening. Fingers crossed that you will eventually be able to consume meat products again.
This one sentence in your invaluable report says it all about why you and Team YLE are a national treasure: “I’ll return next week with a clear breakdown of what it all means for you.” Thank you all for all you do.
There is little comfort right now, but your letter makes a huge difference in my mental health. Stay safe and healthy-Thank you!
If Covid vaccine is not FDA approved for under 65 can you still get it if you pay out of pocket?
Technically, yes, but it’s complicated. Off-label prescribing is legal and common for many drugs, but vaccines are different because:
1. Pharmacies often won’t—or can’t—administer vaccines off-label, based on corporate policies and state laws governing scope of practice. More than 90% of fall vaccines come from pharmacies.
2. Insurers may not cover off-label use as this type of coverage currently varies widely by insurer, even when deemed medically appropriate by a physician.
3. Although physicians should be able to prescribe and administer off-label, many won’t because of perceived liability challenges and confusion.
4. Many electronic systems (like immunization registries) may block documentation or reimbursement.
So while a provider could prescribe it off-label, in practice, it’s likely that most people won’t be able to access it that way.
IF I’m able to pay for it should I wait for the updated version? I’m 55 healthy. Ex smoker tho :(
I’ve had covid once, I’m up to date w my boosters but it’s been 7mos since my last one.
People I know online who have covid now are fairly unified about how miserable they feel this time w covid.
According to CDC website, this is not true. You can self attest without further documentation. What am I missing?
https://www.cdc.gov/covid/vaccines/immunocompromised-people.html
I believe in a previous YLE post, the answer was yes and it’s roughly $200
Could you please seek out some information on the likely Covid vaccine licensing in Europe and Canada? Many of your readers, including me, travel abroad at various times. Thank you.
Yes, this would be nice information to have.
I’m also interested in this information. Thanks!
The regular use of the term "during COVID" conveys the idea that COVID is over. COVID is not over.
What does this mean for the Novavax vaccine? I have had such strong reactions to the mRNA vaccines that I got the Novavax this past spring, and that went better. Any idea if there will be an update for the fall?
I have too! Novavax was licensed and should be avaliable this fall. Who Covid-19 vaccines are available to is the big question (regardless of type of vaccine)
In anticipation of Covid vaccine re-labeling, our whole family got boosters last week. It’s not good timing for most of us, but for some of us, it might be our last chance at the vaccine for a decade or two.
Oh — nobody had Novavax, so we all felt like trash for a few days after our shots. When you do a vaccine update, can you include a mention of whether Novavax will be on the menu? We have a few older folks in the family who need the vaccine, but won’t get it if their only choice is mRNA (due to side effects, not some tinfoil hat nonsense). Really hoping Novavax is available this fall.
I would love info on this, too. I just went looking for a Novavax appointment and no one seems to have it (also because I am a side effect queen with COVID shots ... was hoping to do Novavax this fall for the first time).
Are they expected to change the formula? Or should we just run and get last year's formula now?
I am in CA. My local CVS pharmacies are already not scheduling COVID vaccination appointments. Here is the message I got when trying to schedule this morning. “We are expecting an updated COVID vaccine for the 2025 – 2026 season to be approved in the coming days. Appointments will be available for the updated vaccine as soon as it is approved. Please check back here for the latest update.”
I've heard the same from other states. That CVS already stopped even though the license hasn't changed. I have heard that other local pharmacies do have it still and same with Walgreens.
I am a vaccine provider and many of our COVID vaccine doses expired and we did not reorder anticipating the new formula. We have a few doses for kids because the uptake was dismal in 2024. Each provider may have limited stock or none, therefore the different pockets of availability of the 2024 formula around the country.
Same message at my CVS in NY. Walgreens is still scheduling appointments, but only through this Wednesday.
Here Walgreens will let me start the scheduling process but there are no appointments actually available. Costco doesn’t have COVID as an option.
Yeah, they're only accepting appointments at Walgreens here for the next couple of days. Sheesh, this is stressful.
Thank you for your information and guidance. We feel we’ve made some better-educated choices based on what we’ve learned here. (That includes getting our Covid boosters last month as we don’t fit the likely new criteria.)
Wasn't expecting my night to involve getting the Covid-19 vaccine, but that's what happened. The pharmacist was clueless about the possibility of the eligibility changing. I was able to easily get it though. I got mine at Walgreens. I'm based in Missouri. I have friends in Rhode Island and California and CVS won't allow them to make an appointment for they both were told the new formulation is coming in a few weeks. My friend in Rhode Island couldn't even get an appointment at her local Walgreens.
Thank you soooo much for everything you do! I became a paid subscriber tonight due to this newsletter!
As always, thanks for this pertinent and timely information.
Thank you, as always, Katelyn and YLE team, for your rational reporting and guidance.
Have restacked several times with excerpts.