University Health pauses COVID vaccinations starting July 31 – San Antonio Report

University Health officials on Thursday announced the temporary pause of administering COVID vaccines at all University Health pharmacies starting next week.

The news comes after the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District stopped reporting local COVID infections and as coronavirus cases continue to rise in Bexar County.

Beginning July 31, University Health pharmacies will temporarily pause administering the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine, said University Health spokeswoman Andrea Wazir in a statement. This is due to nationwide preparations for an updated 2024-2025 vaccine formula expected this fall.

The current vaccine is being paused at all pharmacies because inventory is running out, Wazir told the San Antonio Report. University Health plans to resume COVID vaccines with the updated 2024-2025 vaccines as soon as they are available, she said.

Metro Health said COVID-19 vaccinations in its inventory will be available at its clinics until it receives notification from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to discontinue their use.

An estimated 22% of adults in the U.S., and 14% of children, eligible for the COVID vaccines got their 2023-2024 booster.

Although the updated booster vaccine is expected to drop in late August or early September, COVID infections remain high, so immediate protection against infection is recommended for certain people.

If you have a higher risk for a more severe COVID infection, ask your doctor what the best plan for you is.

Keep in mind that if you do get the current booster, you may have to wait up to three months before you can get the updated vaccine, said Dr. Jason Bowling, director of hospital epidemiology for University Health and professor at UT Health San Antonio.

The updated vaccine is going to be around pretty soon, Bowling said. I think most people are going to hold tight and get the updated vaccine when it comes out.

Receiving an updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine can restore and enhance protection against the variants currently responsible for most infections and hospitalizations in the United States, according to the CDC.

COVID-19 vaccination also reduces the chance of suffering the effects of Long COVID, which can develop during or following acute infection and lasts for an extended time.

Everyone ages 6 months and older should receive an updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine, according to public health experts.

People should get this new vaccine when it becomes available, obviously the problem is that were seeing the cases go up now, so people should try to protect themselves, Bowling said in a recent interview with the San Antonio Report.

The updated COVID vaccine targets the strains circulating now, better, Bowling said.

Its based on the predominant strains that are circulating now, he said.Those strains include KP.3 and KP.2 variants, known as FLiRT variants for their mutations.

The updated COVID vaccines will remain free of cost for uninsured and University Health CareLink patients through the Vaccines for Children and Adult Safety Net programs.

The CDCs Bridge Access Program, which provides free vaccines for uninsured or underinsured adults, will end in August, around the time the new COVID vaccine is expected.

Metro Health said the updated COVID vaccines will remain free for uninsured and underinsured patients under 18 through the Vaccines for Children program and for University Health CareLink patients through its adult safety net programs.

Youll likely experience sore throat, nasal congestion, cough, fatigue, headache and maybe loss of smell or taste.

The CDC recommends staying home 24 hours past your last fever, and wear a mask in public five days from symptom onset. After infection, immunity lasts three to four months.

The CDC recommends treating COVID symptoms with over-the-counter medicines like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, but if you have mild to moderate symptoms or are at a higher risk of severe illness, more treatments are available, such as Paxlovid or the three-day intravenous infusions Remdesivir and Molnupiravir.

Paxlovid and Lagevrio treatments are available for underinsured, uninsured or Medicaid and Medicare patients through patient assistant programs to help lower out-of-pocket costs.

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University Health pauses COVID vaccinations starting July 31 - San Antonio Report