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Vaccine Season Preview: 2024-2025

Vaccine Season Preview: 2024-2025

By Neal Smoller
Updated on August 8, 2024

**UPDATE AS OF 09-01-2024**
OVERALL
-Doses of Moderna for 5-11 and 12+ have arrived, meaning you can get your COVID vaccines with us now.  Visit www.villageapothecaryrx.com/get-a-dose to book a spot
-Check here each day for updates

Moderna
-Doses for 5-11 are in stock, but we have less than 10
-Doses for all adults (12+) are in stock, and we have thousands!  Make an appointment today or pop in to see if we can accommodate

Pfizer
-We're expecting Pfizer Wednesday 9/4 after 3pm.

Novavax
-Novavax has finally been approved by FDA
-We have no ETA on shipments, though :(

Pediatric Doses
-Moderna will be the main version we stock.  We have a limited supply currently.  Feel free to check our Vaccines page for current inventory

It’s been a big year already, and we can only guess what’s to come.

What we do know, though, is that no matter what lies in store, staying healthy, happy, and illness-free should be top-of-mind! With that said, let’s take a peek at what our vaccine lineup will look like for this upcoming season, what you can expect as a patient, and how and when to get your dose in order to best protect yourself and your loved ones.

But before you start scrolling, here’s the inside scoop: When we talk about “seasonal” vaccines, the three primary vaccines we mean are COVID-19, the flu shot, and the RSV vaccine.

Read on to learn more about the 2024 vaccine schedule, what options we offer for each vaccine, optimal timing for maximized protection, and more!

What Vaccines Are Available This Season?

For 2024, there are several options available for most vaccines. But there’s no need to feel overwhelmed because, in general, there’s no real advantage to one brand over another.

There are, however, some specific vaccines that might be recommended to you by your doctor — for example, the high-dose flu vaccine is typically only required for individuals 65 years or older. That’s why we always encourage individuals to talk with their healthcare provider about vaccinations, even though we make it easy to get informed about the 2024 vaccine schedule here on our blog.

COVID-19 Vaccines for 2024-2025 Season

Here’s what you need to know about getting a COVID vaccine in 2024:

The three main available options for 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines are Spikevax (Moderna), Comirnaty (Pfizer), and Novavax.
The current iterations of these vaccines are manufactured for KB.2 strain, a FLiRT variant of the omicron lineage. Although no vaccine is perfectly matched, as the virus mutates too quickly, new vaccines are designed to provide excellent protection against both current and developing variants.
All three vaccine options will be in stock throughout the entire COVID-19 season, which normally extends into March or April.
At Village Apothecary, we’re proud to offer all three COVID-19 vaccines so you can choose what makes sense for you.
We will also have doses available for patients 5 and older. Check the vaccines page for our Current Vaccine Inventory

COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ

Can I switch COVID-19 vaccine brands? Should I stay with the brand I have? What should I get?

Here at Village Apothecary, we’re big fans of Spikevax (Moderna) because it’s a higher-dose product – but any COVID-19 vaccine is great, so get what you’re comfortable with.

To reiterate: There is no real advantage of one brand over the other. Some people prefer to stick with what they know, some like to switch it up – all that matters is that you get one of the three as soon as they are available.

Flu Vaccines for 2024-2025 Season

The big update this year is a change to flu vaccine formulation – the first one since 2013!

Although it doesn’t affect you very much as a patient, it’s still a pretty interesting update: After several years of quadrivalent (four-strain) flu shots, we’re back to trivalent (three-strain) vaccines again, with the CDC deeming them sufficient for excellent protection.

Here’s what else you need to know about the seasonal flu vaccine in 2024:

Flu vaccine injections are offered in 2 “flavors”: Regular and high-dose
Injectable flu vaccines come as a multi-dose vial (with preservative) or in preservative-free syringes
At Village Apothecary, we offer both a regular-dose flu shot and a high-dose flu shot (for patients over 65) as preservative-free options from these brands:
- Flucelvax
- Fluad

Flu Vaccine FAQ

Should I get the regular flu vaccine or the high-dose if I’m over 65?

Either vaccine is good enough, as per the CDC, but most patients and their doctors prefer the high-dose for enhanced protection.

Are there more side effects with the high-dose flu vaccine?

Technically, yes. In accordance with the higher dosage, people tend to complain of slightly stronger aches and pains. They should still pass in the same timeframe (1-2 days) and shouldn’t impede patients’ day-to-day lives.

RSV Vaccines for 2024-2025 Season

This season, there will be three options for the RSV vaccine:

Arexvy by Glaxosmithkline
Abrysvo by Pfizer
mRESVIA by Moderna – a new, mRNA vaccine

But recommendations around RSV have changed very recently:

OLD RECOMMENDATIONS: Any patient over 60 who, after consultation with their healthcare team decided they were at risk, could receive a single dose of RSV.
NEW RECOMMENDATIONS: Only patients 75+ should definitely get the RSV vaccine. Patients 60-74 who are at high risk for RSV complications can also get that. The official list of who is “high risk” hasn’t been published, but it is generally patients with severe heart, lung, immune system disease, or diabetes, among other things.

And there’s a few more things you should know about getting the RSV vaccine in 2024:

RSV vaccine is also often used and recommended during pregnancy.
RSV vaccine is currently “one and done” per the CDC; you only need one dose during RSV season for multiple-year seasonal protection.
As of right now, Village Apothecary exclusively stocks the Arexvy RSV vaccine. Abrysvo and/or mResvia may become available as the season progresses.

RSV Vaccine FAQ

Do I need another RSV dose if I got one last season?

Nope! The RSV vaccine protects for more than one season. Although researchers don’t quite know definitively how long the protection lasts, they’ve determined it is definitely good for at least two RSV seasons.

When’s the Best Time to Get My Vaccine This Fall?

Vaccine timing is worthy of a topic all its own! We’ll hit the highlights here but don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of vaccination experts if you have more questions on seasonal vaccination or the 2024 vaccine schedule.

COVID-19: Generally, the best time to get your COVID-19 vaccine is as soon as the new version is available, which is typically in September. We recommend getting an updated dose every year as strains continue to mutate and develop.

(Note: Patients over 65 and severely immunosuppressed patients are eligible for more than just their fall dose. Check with one of our experts for more details on additional COVID-19 vaccines!)

Flu: Traditionally, October to November is the ideal time to receive a flu vaccine. In the years in which the flu is circulating early, then September to October is best. We recommend getting an updated dose every year.

RSV: We recommend that you aim to get your RSV vaccine somewhere from late summer to early fall for maximum protection. Remember, the RSV vaccine offers protection for more than one season – you don’t need a dose every year according to new CDC recommendations.

How Do I Get a Vaccine at Village Apothecary?

It’s easy – just stop by! We offer walk-in vaccination for COVID-19, the flu, and RSV throughout the majority of the year. At the beginning of new COVID-19 vaccine availability (generally September), we typically WILL require appointments.

We do this to ensure efficiency and dose availability, and to avoid scenarios like the chaos of 200+ people all showing up and expecting a 5-minute wait. However, our system is really, really good – and even during our busiest times we do our best to serve patients who drop by for a dose.

New for 2024

This year, we’re making some big changes to offer better access to vaccines for our local community. Here are the highlights:

Expanded Local Clinics: We’re taking our team further this year, branching out to offer more regular clinics in local communities near Woodstock, New York. More details to come!

Onsite Workplace Clinics: Because getting vaccinated should be quick and easy for all, we’ll be working 1:1 with businesses of 20+ people to provide vaccines at the workplace. Ready to take advantage of this seamless vaccine experience? Contact our team today.

Now You Know: The 2024 Vaccine Schedule Debriefed

Our team here at Village Apothecary strives to help you stay your healthiest — our whole thing is making vaccines accessible to anyone who wants them. And providing those vaccines reliably, safely, and efficiently!

While we do have a couple of new things coming (including regular clinics in local communities, workplace vaccine clinics, and updated vaccine formulas), we’re still the Village Apothecary you know and love. Whether you’re looking for a COVID shot, a flu shot, or just to ask a highly-trained vaccine provider some questions about the 2024 vaccine schedule, we’ll make sure you’re taken care of – no matter what.

Just drop us a line!