Reno, Sparks, Nev., Oct. 19, 2022. Children aged 5 years and older are eligible for the updated COVID-19 bivalent vaccine booster that fights against common COVID-19 omicron variants, and opportunities are available community-wide to receive it.

The updated booster, known as a bivalent vaccine, was authorized for children aged 5-11 last week by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help protect against the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 as well as the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron variants. Those variants are still causing most cases of COVID-19 and are predicted to continue to circulate this fall and winter. The Pfizer version of the booster is for those 5 years and older while the Moderna version is for those 6 years and older.

The Health District is hosting a COVID-19 vaccine clinic on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022, from 4-6 p.m., at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center (4590 S. Virginia St., Reno) that will have the Moderna updated bivalent booster for all residents 6 years and older. Schedule an appointment here – very few walk-ins will be permitted.

Most pharmacies in Washoe County also have COVID-19 booster options for children 5 and older and appointments can be made by going to www.vaccines.gov.

The Health District also has appointments available to receive the updated booster at its clinic at 1001 E. 9th St., Building B, in Reno. Call 775-328-2427 to make an appointment. The Health District’s community vaccine events and clinic operations offer both boosters and primary series doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Those who have already received a COVID-19 booster, as well as those who have completed their primary series doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, are eligible as long certain age requirements are met and it has been at least two months since the last dose.

See this form to determine if you’re eligible to get a booster and when.

Eligibility of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 bivalent booster

• For the Pfizer bivalent booster, those 5 and older are eligible if it has been two months since you received the primary vaccine series, or two months since receiving the original COVID-19 booster, known as a “monovalent” vaccine.
  • Note: The first authorized COVID-19 vaccine, which launched in December 2020 and has been administered to millions of people, and booster is known as a monovalent vaccine because its protection was based on only the original strain of SARS-CoV-2. The bivalent COVID-19 vaccine is designed to provide better protection against both the original strain and the BA. 4 and BA. 5 omicron variants.
• For the Moderna bivalent COVID-19 booster, those 6 years of age and older are eligible if it has been two months since you received the primary vaccine series or two months since receiving the original COVID-19 booster, known as a “monovalent” vaccine.
• Fill out this interactive form to determine booster eligibility here

The Pfizer vaccine was previously authorized for use in people 12 years and older, and the Moderna vaccine was previously authorized for adults.

Locations to get an updated COVID-19 booster

The Washoe County Health District will offer the Pfizer vaccine on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at its main clinic as well as Moderna on Tuesdays and Thursdays. There are also vaccine opportunities at its community vaccine events:

Other opportunities:

• Community Health Alliance has appointments available for the bivalent COVID-19 booster, as well as the monovalent COVID-19 vaccine. Go here for appointments.
• vaccines.gov has appointments at pharmacies and other providers in Washoe County and beyond.

COVID-19 Testing

COVID-19 testing at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center is available weekly. Schedule an appointment here.

The Washoe County Health District is nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board and has jurisdiction over all public health matters in Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County through the policy-making Washoe County District Board of Health. The District consists of five divisions: Administrative Health Services, Air Quality Management, Community and Clinical Health Services, Environmental Health Services and Epidemiology & Public Health Preparedness. More info can be found here.