New COVID-19 vaccines will soon be in Idaho. But for flu shots, here’s why to wait.

BOISE (Idaho Capital Sun) — New COVID-19 vaccines tailored to the latest spreading variants will soon be available in Idaho. 

That comes amid rising COVID levels nationally and in Idaho.

But Idaho’s rising reports of illness aren’t straining hospitals, similar to other national summer surges, Idaho epidemiologist Dr. Christine Hahn told the Sun in an interview last week.

“The big surge is coming,” she said. “… That is why we do urge that people get their COVID vaccines as soon as they are available, especially if you’re at high risk or you’re planning on traveling.”

The two new mRNA COVID vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna — authorized by the Food and Administration — are tailored to the latest spreading variants of the coronavirus.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare expects the vaccines to be widely available in September. When the vaccines arrive in Idaho, the agency will notify the public, Hahn said.

People should be able to find vaccine appointments near them through a relaunched federal government site called vaccines.gov, Hahn said.

But public health experts recommend people wait at least a few weeks to get flu shots, until closer to when influenza season ramps up.

An evolving virus: why there are new COVID vaccines

The new vaccine offers a boost to immune systems to protect against severe disease, and is especially important for adults who are older or who have multiple medical conditions, Dr. David Pate, former CEO of St. Luke’s Health System, told the Sun in an interview last week. 

“But even for others, if they have not been infected recently and haven’t been keeping up with the boosters, it can be protective against getting more severe disease,” he said.

The vaccines, he said, also partially protect against long COVID — which can include severe or mild symptoms such as brain fog and fatigue, sometimes lasting long after initial infections. 

Nearly everyone has some immunity to the virus now — whether from infections, vaccines or both, Pate said.

Pate is among public health experts who don’t call the new COVID vaccines “boosters.” That’s because the new shots are tailored to the latest spreading versions of coronavirus that have evolved significantly since the early versions, and found ways to evade immune responses.  

“Because we were allowing it to spread so much, the virus was learning, ‘How can I get around people’s existing immunity and still infect them?’” Pate said “That’s what viruses want to do. They just want to infect their host.”

Because the virus has evolved so much faster than in the early years of the pandemic, that’s why “we’re needing vaccines more often than we do for a lot of diseases,” Pate said.

“Unfortunately, just giving this shot, making it available once a year, is not going to keep up with the pace at which this virus is currently mutating,” Pate said.

Who is eligible for the new vaccines?

Anyone over the age of 12 is eligible for a single dose of the updated vaccine if they’ve been vaccinated previously, States Newsroom reported. They also must wait at least two months after their last vaccination.

The FDA announcement said three doses of the updated Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine or two doses of the updated Moderna vaccine are approved for unvaccinated children between six months and 4 years old.

Children between six months and 4 years old who have already received their COVID-19 vaccine are eligible to receive one or two doses or either updated vaccine. The dosing will depend on the timing and number of doses of their previous vaccination.

Children between 5 and 11 years old can receive a single dose of the updated vaccine, regardless of whether they’ve been previously vaccinated or not. If a child in that age range has been vaccinated against COVID-19, they need to wait at least two months before getting the updated dose.

The FDA on Friday also approved a non-mRNA COVID vaccine by Novavax. 

At the end of September, American households can order up to four free at-home rapid COVID tests through COVIDtests.gov.

People should time flu shots close to influenza season

While flu vaccines might be available when people book COVID shot appointments, public health experts say you should hold off on receiving your flu shot immediately.

Late September or early October is the “sweet spot,” Hahn said.

That’s because immunity from flu shots can wear off, but the flu season usually reaches its peak around February each year, and can stretch into the spring.

Influenza spikes can vary, but usually steep upticks aren’t seen until around November, Pate said.

“Do not get the flu vaccine right now. Wait ‘till we start seeing that uptick. And then once those cases are on the rise, then that’s a good time to get your flu shot,” he said.