Beshears get new Covid-19 booster shots designed to protect against recent variants of the coronavirus

Gov. Andy Beshear and his wife, Britainy Beshear, got the newly updated bivalent Covid-19 booster vaccine Wednesday in the rotunda of the state Capitol.

Beshear encouraged Kentuckians to get vaccinated and boosted, and called on leaders in government, business, education and nonprofits to join him in promoting immunization.

“I am here to publicly take this shot of hope and encourage others to get this crucial protection,” Beshear said in a press release. “These vaccines are extremely safe and effective. Everyone in my family has received their vaccine and boosters when eligible.”

The new boosters are engineered to protect against the coronavirus variants that have become dominant in the U.S., and to bolster previous vaccination protection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends them for anyone who hasn’t had a vaccination in two months and meets the age limits: 12 and up for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and 18 and up for the Moderna version. Unvaccinated people must get the primary series before these boosters.

“This fall, to protect ourselves and reduce the chance of spreading these viruses to others, I encourage everyone who’s eligible to get an updated booster,” said Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the state Department for Public Health. “If we roll up our sleeves and get immunized, we have a much better chance of staying healthy and well, and can enjoy fall and winter festivities surrounded by our family and friends.”

For more information on the boosters, from McClatchy Newspapers, click here. To schedule an appointment for the booster, see vaccines.gov. For assistance scheduling an appointment call 855-598-2246 or text GETVAX to 438829 to receive three vaccine locations near you.