With the FDA authorizing the ‘bivalent’ booster for children as young as 5-years-old, Los Angeles County will make the vaccines available to them by October 19.

The Pfizer-made bivalent booster has received authorization for individuals 5 and up, while Moderna has been authorized for 6 and older and can be taken two months after receiving either their primary COVID-19 vaccine, or previous booster.

“The virus that causes COVID-19 changes over time,” The FDA has noted about the bivalent booster. “The bivalent COVID-19 vaccines include a component of the original virus strain to provide broad protection against COVID-19 and a component of the omicron variant to provide better protection against COVID-19 caused by the omicron variant. .”

Los Angeles County COVID-19 metrics have shown a decrease in COVID-19 cases from week-to-week, with a 7-day average of 946, a 17% decrease from the 1,138 average a week ago. Recorded hospitalizations have also declined by 7%, with 467 COVID-19 positive patients in L.A. County hospitals, compared to 502 a week ago.

The county also said COVID deaths have been “stable” with an average of 10 per day.

Although there has been a decline in COVID-19 hospitalizations and positive cases, Public Health has begun urging individuals to get the bivalent booster before the winter months arrive, as the past two years have show a spike in cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the months of December and January.

“Public Health recommends all eligible residents receive their updated Fall boosters before the winter season because immunity from earlier vaccines, and/or getting infected, wanes over time,” Los Angeles Public Health said in a press release. “The virus has also mutated significantly over the past two-and-a-half years, and the new strains can evade some of the protection from earlier vaccines or infections.”

To find sites that carry the latest boosters, Angelenos can visit the L.A. County Public Health website.

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