ST. LOUIS — The new COVID-19 vaccine booster that targets the Omicron variant is now available as the St. Louis County Department of Public Health (DPH) began administering shots Wednesday.

Area residents can make appointments at the John C. Murphy Health Center in Berkeley and the South County Health Center in Sunset Hills from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, according to a press release.

Appointments also can be made by visiting the department of public heath’s website and by visiting ReviveSTL online.

St. Charles County Department of Public also is offering the new COVID booster shots and those eligible can make an online appointment here.

St. Louis County DPH strongly encourages everyone who is eligible to get the new booster as the department has been documenting more than 200 new COVID-19 cases daily in St. Louis County.

“The updated COVID-19 boosters, which are known as ‘bivalent boosters,’ are specifically designed to fight the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants – the most transmissible versions of the virus, and the most common in St. Louis County. When the original vaccine and booster shots were created, these new variants didn’t exist,” according to DPH.  

Both Pfizer and Moderna are the brands of the bivalent booster. Pfizer is approved for ages 12 and older and Moderna is approved for ages 18 and older, according to DPH.

The boosters have not been approved for children younger than 12 years old, however, DPH is still offering the original booster shots for ages 5-11.

“In the coming weeks, the CDC expects to recommend updated COVID-19 boosters for other pediatric groups,” according to DPH.

Patients can receive the new booster at least two months after getting their last COVID shot. Patients will not qualify to get the new booster if they have not gotten their initial COVID vaccinations, according to DPH.

Appointments to receive initial COVID vaccines are not needed.

To find where the new COVID-19 Bivalent boosters are being administered across the state, click here.