GARNER, N.C. — With the holidays approaching, comes the potential to see an uptick in COVID-19 cases, and the CDC is recommending people get their booster shot to protect themselves. 

Even on the Labor Day holiday, things are busy for Garner Family Pharmacy owner Chet Kanjia. He expects the foot traffic to only increase when the latest COVID-19 booster is in stock sometime this week. 

What You Need To Know 

With the holidays coming up and the potential to see more cases of COVID-19, the CDC is recommending Americans get a booster shot to protect against serious illness, hospitalization or death 

Last week, the CDC and U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved new booster shots from Pfizer and Moderna called 'bivalent vaccines' 

That means they target both the original strain of the COVID-19 virus and omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 

"It's going to be popular, and it's going to be more protection for everybody, and it saves a life," Kanjia said.

Kanjia says the first booster was very in-demand, although that wasn't the case for the second one.

"[It] was only approved for the 50 and older so the population was narrow," he said.

He expects that all to change with the updated bivalent vaccine, which targets the omicron subvariants. Aside from the COVID-19 booster, Kanjia says the flu vaccine is already sought after.

The pharmacy began giving them out at the start of August. 

After more than 30 years as a pharmacist, Kanjia says he believes in what he does and has a passion for helping his community. And what better way to do that, he says, than getting vaccinated.

"Everyone stays healthy and happy and has a good holidays coming up," he said.

Children as young as 12 can get the new booster shot from Pfizer. For Moderna, you have to be 18 years and older. Be sure to call your local pharmacy or clinic for more information or to make an appointment.