An updated new COVID-19 vaccine has been approved by the FDA and the CDC and is expected to be available soon. The new vaccine will be formulated to protect against newer strains of the virus and, if taken in the fall, will provide strengthened immunity during the winter months when the risk of contracting respiratory diseases are highest.
Due to the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, which helped fund Duke’s COVID-19 vaccination and booster efforts for the campus community, staff and faculty will need to get the updated vaccine through pharmacies or their health care provider.
COVID-19 boosters are covered in full, with no co-pay, under all of Duke’s employee medical plans.
With the approval of the updated formula, the bivalent vaccine introduced last year is no longer approved by the FDA for emergency use. Duke and other healthcare providers have discontinued administration of the bivalent vaccine until they receive the updated formula, which should be within the next couple weeks.