Newly updated Covid vaccines that protect against the current variant are now available in Southwest Virginia at CVS locations. SARS-CoV-2 is constantly evolving, which is why the Covid vaccine is updated periodically. Much like the flu shot, this is also why it’s important for the public to get the updated vaccine when available.
According to the AAMC, the now-dominant KP.2 and KP.3 variants of Covid are part of a family of strains collectively referred to as FLiRT variants because of the part of the virus where they have mutated, are subvariants of JN.1, which is a subvariant of omicron. Doctors recommend you get vaccinated ahead of fall and winter months, a time of year when respiratory illness can overwhelm hospitals.
At the beginning of September, CVS customers signed up for alerts received a notification the updated Covid vaccine was available. I reached out to CVS and requested to meet with an expert to talk about the vaccine while I get mine. We met at a CVS in Roanoke on Brambleton Road to get my shot. It was a quick, easy and relatively painless process. I even received a children’s sticker with a unicorn on it. I have to admit, even as a thirty-something woman, I was pretty excited about that.
During my visit, I met with CVS pharmacy district leader Kira Weaver Tang. She made the trip from Charlottesville to do an interview. Weaver Tang said CVS stores have plenty of supply of the shot to meet the need. I asked her about the new Covid shot.
“It has been approved by the FDA for the new variant, the FLiRT variant. We are seeing that rapidly spread, so certainly want to make sure we are getting vaccinated appropriately before the height of flu and Covid season,” Weaver Tang said.
She is passionate about immunization education and said it’s important that the public stay up-to-date on the vaccine as variants change.
“You definitely want to make sure you are up to date on the newest vaccine to protect you and your family.”
The Covid vaccine I received was Pfizer. Weaver Tang said some locations also carry the Moderna Covid vaccine. She said if patients have a preference, to reach out to the pharmacy to see which one they carry.
You can schedule a visit at a local CVS or they also accept walk-ins. Flu shots and other vaccines are also available. Flu shots and Covid vaccines can be taken at the same time.
The vaccine is available at no cost to the patient with most insurance plans. Those who receive the vaccine will also receive a $5 off $20 coupon for the next time you shop at a CVS.