Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Now Available At Essentia Health

Essentia Health is ready to administer updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Novavax that offer better protection against current variants of the virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends patients 6 months and older receive the updated vaccine to protect against potentially serious cases of COVID-19. Most patients can receive the updated version if it has been at least two months since their last dose. Please note that the Novavax vaccine is only for people ages 12 and older. Vaccine availability will vary by location.

Patients can schedule vaccine appointments by calling their Essentia clinic or pharmacy or through the MyChart patient portal. 

The federal government is no longer funding COVID-19 vaccines for everyone. Patients should check with their insurance provider to confirm coverage before scheduling an appointment.

The CDC considers it safe to get both the COVID-19 and flu vaccine simultaneously. Patients could experience more noticeable side effects when receiving both at the same time, such as increased fatigue or aches.