New COVID vaccine: Who should get a shot? What are the side effects? Where can I get a shot?

New COVID vaccine: Who should get a shot? What are the side effects? Where can I get a shot?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have cleared the way for Americans to receive updated COVID-19 vaccines.

A CDC panel recommended shots for all Americans over 6 months old who have not had a COVID vaccine in the past six months. There are two vaccine versions – one from Moderna and another from Pfizer-BioNTech. Both are expected to be available to the public, including at major retailers like CVS and Walgreens, later this week.

“Eligible individuals can schedule appointments immediately following CDC recommendation, with available appointments starting nationwide on Monday, September 18,” Walgreens’ chief medical officer Kevin Ban told The Hill in a statement, adding “earlier appointments may be added on a rolling basis as stores receive vaccines this week.”

CVS is also expected to start receiving doses this week.

The vaccines, according to the CDC, are primarily intended to protect against COVID-related hospitalizations and death, as well as chances of suffering the effects of Long COVID, which can develop following an acute infection and last for an extended duration.

People with insurance will be able to receive the vaccine for free; you can go here to see information on receiving a free vaccine.

Side effects of vaccine

More than 672 million doses of the COVID vaccine have been administered in the U.S. since December 2020, according to the CDC.

Side effects of the new vaccine should be similar to the existing formulas and include:

  • Pain, redness and swelling at the injection site
  • Tiredness
  • Headache
  • Muscle pain
  • Chills
  • Fever
  • Nausea

You can see options for treating the symptoms here.