The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved last week the use of reformulated COVID-19 boosters from Pfizer-BioNTech for people ages 12 years and older and from Moderna for those 18 and older. The boosters are bivalent, meaning that they’re designed to protect against both the original virus strain as well as the more transmissible and immune-evading Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5. In a statement Saturday, the California Department of Public Health said that the state is preparing to offer doses “as supplies arrive within the next few days.” We’ll talk about the new booster, explore the science of immune response and take your questions.

Guests:

Dr. Grace Lee, associate chief medical officer for practice innovation and pediatric infectious diseases physician, Stanford Children’s Health; member, U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP); member, COVID-19 Vaccines Workgroup

Mehul Suthar, associate professor of pediatrics and member of the Vaccine Center, Emory University

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