Quick Take
The Food and Drug Administration approved an updated COVID-19 vaccine for the fall, which will target the highly infectious KP variants that were main drivers of this year’s summer surge in Santa Cruz County. Local public health officials expect a more specific timeline for the rollout within weeks. Only 23% of Santa Cruz County residents are up to date on recommended COVID vaccination.
As Santa Cruz County appears to wriggle free of a COVID-19 summer surge, public health officials are already looking forward to the winter, when another outbreak is nearly inevitable. They’ll be encouraging people to take advantage of a reformulated COVID vaccine that will be available soon.
Last week, the Food and Drug Administration approved updated COVID vaccines that will target the “KP” variants of the disease — the predominant forms of the virus currently circulating. The KP variants are offshoots of Omicron, which emerged in late 2021. Santa Cruz County Deputy Health Officer Dr. Cal Gordon said the timing of the new vaccine is just about perfect.
“You typically get the best effects in the first three to four months after the vaccine is given,” he said. “As we’re heading into a winter season where there will probably be as robust a surge as we saw this summer — or potentially greater — this is a really good time to seek out the new vaccine.”
The KP variants were a main driver of a summer surge in which the county saw its highest rates of COVID since early 2023. Even as the disease’s prevalence has begun to dip across all three metrics used to measure COVID rates — transmission, hospitalizations and wastewater prevalence — early August saw 21 people hospitalized with COVID, which is the highest number in the county all year.
Gordon said the reformulated vaccine will also target “JN” variants, which are also Omicron offshoots. He said the vaccine might not prevent recipients from getting infected with one of the variants, but will provide strong protection against severe disease and death, as well as reduce the chances of getting long COVID — a possibly debilitating persistence of symptoms that can last weeks or months after an initial infection. Those are major reasons people should seek out the jab, said Gordon.
“I think, in many respects, people’s focus on COVID has been somewhat reduced,” he said, adding that its mortality rate is still about double that of the seasonal flu. “If people are thinking about getting flu shots, I strongly recommend that people add the COVID shot at the same time.”
The number of people receiving COVID-19 booster shots and reformulated vaccines has dwindled severely as the acute phase of the pandemic waned and many safety measures gradually faded away. According to statewide vaccination data, just 15% of eligible Californians and 23% of eligible Santa Cruzans are up to date on their COVID vaccines. The mass vaccination campaigns of the early pandemic are a thing of the past, but Gordon said public health officials have a duty to get the word out that a new shot is available so “people can make informed decisions.”
“The accountability really is becoming more on the individuals and the existing medical organizations in getting the word out,” he said. “It doesn’t lessen the reality of COVID, so I think people need to understand what the risks and benefits are, and engage with their medical providers.”
Last fall was the first time that the cost to the public of a COVID vaccine rollout was not covered by the federal government, and this year is no different. Those with private insurance or Medicare are likely covered, but uninsured people looking to receive a shot could have to pay a fee.
People 65 years and older and those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised are eligible to receive additional doses of last year’s vaccine before this year’s rolls out. Gordon said those who have received an additional dose will have to wait three months before receiving the fall’s reformulated booster.
Gordon said that within the next three to five weeks, he expects there to be clarity as to when the new jab will be available.
The vaccine will be available at major and local pharmacies in the area, including Safeway, Walgreens, CVS and Horsnyder, as well as through local primary care providers.
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