The state Department of Health (DOH) is encouraging eligible individuals to sign up for the recently issued bivalent boosters designed specifically to protect against original COVID-19 and the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants.

The Pfizer-BioNTech booster is recommended for people age 12 and older while the Moderna booster is recommended for adults age 18 and older. Bivalent boosters can only be administered if it has been at least two months since a person’s most recent vaccination.

In a statement State Health Director Libby Char said, “The COVID-19 boostsers have been doing a good job of protecting us against severe illness.  The new bivalent boosters are an upgrade because they take into account the mutations of the COVID-19 virus to specifically address Omicron subvariants.”

Appointments can be scheduled with pharmacies and other providers by visiting https://hawaiicovid19.com/vaccine/.