The Food and Drug Administration recently approved an updated Covid booster shot from Pfizer and Moderna to target the new Omicron XBB.1.5 subvariant. 

Dallas County Health Department Community Health Educator Natalie Peters says that they have seen increased activity of covid-19 spreading around the county and in the state.  Peters says that this new booster will act just like other covid-19 vaccines. 

“It should protect from illness. You are less likely to get sick if you are vaccinated. There’s not a 100% protection, as we know from previous shots, but it should also help with the seriousness of symptoms. So hopefully if you do get sick, even while you’re vaccinated, that you have less severe symptoms. So that’s where this vaccine is coming in. It’s going to be just like those previous ones and the prevention of getting sick and reducing the severity of symptoms.”

Peterson expects the new booster to be available locally at doctor offices, pharmacies or the health department by the peak illness season in January and February.