WASHINGTON — The new bivalent COVID-19 booster shots are up to 56% more effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 infection than the two original COVID-19 vaccines in adults ages 18 and up, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The data, released Tuesday, is the first batch of effectiveness data from an official, large-scale study on the updated shots, which have been on the market since early October. The updated boosters target the BA.4 and BA.5 strain of the omicron variant, as well as the original strain. The original shots and first booster that Americans received targeted only the ancestral strain of COVID-19.
The data comes as the White House launches a six-week public education initiative to get Americans boosted ahead of the holidays. The push includes $350 million for community health centers and $125 million for organizations serving the elderly and disabled, as well as targeted ad campaigns.
