COVID-19 Vaccine

Public health officials want more Americans to get the latest COVID vaccine booster. Only 35% of people over 65 have gotten the shot, though 75% of COVID deaths are among people in this age group.

The decision aims to better protect the littlest kids amid an uptick in COVID-19 cases around the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to sign off soon.

Metro Health has a limited supply of the Moderna bivalent COVID-19 boosters, and is offering H-E-B gift cards to those who get shots.

If approved, this would be the second booster shot Moderna has issued for people ages 18 and up.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Tuesday he is suing the federal government over the Defense Department’s vaccine mandate for military service members, saying the requirement interferes with his authority over the Texas National Guard. Abbott accused the Biden administration of violating the Second Militia clause of the Constitution and undermining his commander-in-chief power.

Infection-fighting B cells appear to have a poorer "memory" of the COVID virus in those who've suffered severe COVID-19.

It comes after the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of appeals overturned an earlier ruling that blocked the measure.

New research out of South Africa and the UK have found that the omicron variant dramatically reduces vaccine effectiveness in the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. However, there are ways to minimize omicron's impact in the United States.

Area COVID-19 vaccine and booster providers are anticipating more visitors as schools break for the holidays next week.

The FDA on Friday granted emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna booster shots. The boosters have already been available for people 65 and older and to high-risk adults.