TOLEDO, Ohio — Editor's note: The above video originally aired Aug. 10.
Toledo COVID-19 booster clinics will be offering the new bivalent COVID-19 booster shot beginning at 8:30 a.m. Friday.
Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna each developed their own booster shots to target the Omicron variant. Both vaccines were approved by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Aug. 31.
The Omicron variant remains a concern in the United States, as it now represents more than 90 percent of the actively circulating virus, according to the CDC.
Previous COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots do not specifically cover the Omicron variant, which is why health officials are urging people to take advantage of the new booster shot.
"The updated vaccine is an additional tool to use to stay protected," said Health Commissioner Eric Zgodzinski. "Getting the approved bivalent vaccine is essential in staying protected from the newer variants of COVID-19."
Cases of COVID-19, just like any other respiratory illness, are projected to spike in the fall.
Pfizer and Moderna have released their own guidelines regarding who is eligible to receive the booster shot.
Individuals with prior COVID-19 vaccination status may safely receive either the Pfizer or Moderna booster, regardless of which vaccines have already been administered.
The booster clinics will begin Friday at the Health Department, 635 N. Erie St., Toledo. Walk-in hours are available Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
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