FILE - A pharmacist injects a patient with a booster dosage of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic in Lawrence, Mass., on Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021. U.S. regulators have authorized updated COVID-19 boosters, the first to directly target today's most common omicron strain. The move on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2022, by the Food and Drug Administration tweaks the recipe of shots made by Pfizer and rival Moderna that already have saved millions of lives. (AP...
FILE - A pharmacist injects a patient with a booster dosage of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic in Lawrence, Mass., on Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021. U.S. regulators have authorized updated COVID-19 boosters, the first to directly target today's most common omicron strain. The move on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2022, by the Food and Drug Administration tweaks the recipe of shots made by Pfizer and rival Moderna that already have saved millions of lives. (AP... Credit: Charles Krupa

The updated COVID-19 Omicron booster doses are now available at established vaccination locations such as provider offices, pharmacies and urgent care centers, the NH Department of Health and Human Services announced.

The Omicron booster doses, also called bivalent doses, are updated versions of the original vaccines and were recently authorized by the FDA and recommended by the CDC. Anyone aged 12 or older who completed their COVID-19 primary series or received a booster dose at least two months ago, should get the updated booster. 

“These updated booster doses more closely align to the new COVID-19 Omicron variant and is the most effective way to prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19,” sais State Epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan in a released statement. “As we have seen in the past, we anticipate a fall surge and recommend everyone 12 or older get an updated booster dose.”

To date, almost 100,000 doses have been ordered and more than 56,000 have already arrived in New Hampshire.

Those looking for an updated booster dose should contact their primary care physician or go to www.vaccines.nh.gov for COVID-19 vaccination locations statewide. Check with local pharmacy if you cannot find a booster location in your area.

David Brooks can be reached at dbrooks@cmonitor.com. Sign up for his Granite Geek weekly email newsletter at granitegeek.org.