ASHEVILLE - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized an updated COVID-19 vaccine that targets variants currently in circulation, according to a Sept. 11 news release. Doses should be hitting Buncombe County within the week, local health experts say, including at the health department on Coxe Avenue.
People older than 5 are eligible to receive the updated vaccine, provided they have not received a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine within the past two months. Ages 6 months to 4 years old can receive varying doses depending on their vaccination status. Public health officials are recommending that everyone older than 6 months receive a booster.
The FDA in the release said that barring a more significant variant, the department expects that COVID-19 vaccines will be updated annually, like flu vaccines. These vaccines are manufactured using a similar process to previous formulas, and have similar efficacies, according to the FDA. North Carolina State Epidemiologist Zack Moore told the Citizen Times Sept. 13 that there is no dominant variant right now, but prevalent strains are in the omicron subvariant family. The omicron variant first became prominent November 2021.
Moore said that people who had “robust reactions” to previous COVID-19 vaccinations can potentially expect a similar experience with updated vaccine.
“You might want to plan a lighter day,” he said.
According to a N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Sept. 13 news release, providers began pre-ordering the fall COVID-19 vaccines Sept. 8 and supplies may begin entering the state by the end of the week. Providers and pharmacies must order supplies directly from manufacturers, according to NCDHHS.
Most health insurance plans will cover the COVID-19 vaccine for free, according to NCDHHS. Vaccines for Children, a federal vaccine supply program, provides free vaccines to children 18 and younger who are Medicaid-eligible, uninsured, or don’t have insurance that adequately covers the vaccine cost. Some adults are also eligible for free vaccines under the federal Bridge Access Program.
CVS and Walgreens have contracts with the federal government to administer the program, according to the CDC. Moore did not know exactly how many shots would be allocated to North Carolina.
These programs will be a boon for North Carolinians who are waiting for access to expanded Medicaid, the state-run insurance company for people with low incomes. North Carolina will become the 40th state to expand the program after Gov. Roy Cooper signed the legislation March 27. Expansion will provide coverage for people who have incomes below the federal poverty level and above the state Medicaid income limit. A provision in the bill, however, timed the implementation of the program to the state budget passing, which is still under debate in Raleigh.
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Moore encouraged people who don’t have access to insurance-covered vaccines to call their primary care provider, local pharmacy, health department, or community health center to find out where vaccines might be available.
Buncombe County will provide vaccines through its immunization clinic at 40 Coxe Ave. The county’s public health director, Ellis Matheson, told the Citizen Times that she is expecting the county to receive vaccines soon.
Matheson and Moore encouraged people to get their flu shots at the same time. There is also a vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, available to people older than 60.
Both public health experts encouraged people who test positive for COVID-19 to follow the CDC’s COVID-19 isolation guidelines, as well as the guidelines for masking and testing for people who are exposed.
The Citizen Times spoke to employees at the Hendersonville Road CVS and Walgreens who said their respective employers are waiting for vaccine shipments to arrive before offering appointments online. CVS is still going through its process to approve the vaccine.
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What are Buncombe County COVID levels now?
As of Sept. 6, COVID-19 wastewater levels in the Buncombe County Metropolitan Sewer District are between the 80th and 99th percentiles compared to past measures at the same site, according to state tracking. While COVID-19 hospital admissions have increased in the past week, numbers are still low enough that Buncombe County is in the CDC’s “green zone,” the lowest level for the federal measurement system.
Asheville City Schools follow Mountain Area Health Education Center guidelines for COVID-19 spread prevention, according to spokesperson Dillon Huffman. These instructions include policies for staying home, returning to school, and wearing a mask. The school district relies on people to self-report if children become sick and report to the county health department if numbers begin to grow, Huffman said. Nurses at the schools have free COVID-19 tests for families who can’t afford them.
The Citizen Times previously reported that free tests are available at the county DHHS office and various locations around Asheville. The federal government's free COVID-19 testing mail program was paused May 31.
Huffman said that the CDC does not require people to report COVID-19 infection, so schools cannot track how the virus has spread in schools. He noted, however, that attendance has not wavered.
Buncombe County Schools follow the same COVID-19 spread prevention guidelines as Asheville City Schools, spokesperson Stacia Harris said in an email to the Citizen Times. Responding to a question about whether a rise in COVID-19 cases has led to increased absences, Harris noted that county schools also do not track COVID-19 infections.
Citizen Times Education Reporter McKenna Leavens contributed to this report.
Mitchell Black covers Buncombe County and health care for the Citizen Times. Email him at mblack@citizentimes.com or follow him on Twitter @MitchABlack.Please help support local journalism with asubscriptionto the Citizen Times.
