By Jessica Bravo / CTMirror.org

Nearly 43,000 Connecticut residents got the new COVID-19 vaccine booster last week as the state continues distributing the new bivalent inoculations.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Aug. 31 that the new COVID-19 vaccine booster would be rolled out to the public. States are expected to slowly start receiving the new booster.

Here are some answers to questions CT residents may have about the new booster vaccines:

Who is eligible?

On Sept. 1, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that people get the new booster if they are able and eligible.

Those eligible to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are 12 years old and over. The Moderna vaccine is for people 18 years old and over. 

Hartford HealthCare has an interactive tool on its website to determine eligibility. 

In a few weeks, the CDC also will start recommending this new booster to younger age groups.

Where can I get the new booster?

Residents can contact their primary care doctor to get vaccinated or go to vaccines.gov to look for vaccination clinics.

In Westport, the Aspetuck Health District has announced a booster clinic — initially postponed because officials did not expect vaccines to arrive in time — will go forward as planned Wednesday, Sept. 28, with the arrival of Moderna boosters.

The clinic will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the health district offices, 180 Bayberry Lane. Call 203-227-9571 to make an appointment.

Several Westport pharmacies and others nearby also have booster shots available. Check this link on vaccines.gov for details.

How much does it cost?

The COVID-19 vaccine is free. No one is required to show ID or have health insurance to get a booster.

What is the difference between this booster and the others?

As the CDC sees spikes in different sub-variant COVID cases, new boosters will be introduced to reduce or prevent illness from these new strains. 

This CDC says the latest booster adds Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 spike protein components to the current vaccine composition in order to fight these new variants of the virus.

The COVID-19 strands targeted by this booster have been described by doctors as more “transmissible and immune-evading” than others.

How many doses of the new booster has Connecticut received?

The state Department of Public Health said the state ordered about 200,000 doses of the bivalent boosters. 

The state is expected to receive more doses in the next several weeks. 

How many state residents have received the new booster?

According to a Sept. 15 press release from Gov. Ned Lamont, 43,618 residents received the booster in its first few days of availability.

Is the new booster necessary? 

The FDA and CDC recommend the booster for anyone who is eligible. 

Chris Boyle, director of communications at the state Department of Public Health, said that even though the state has fewer COVID cases than it did this time last year, residents should still consider getting the new booster.

“With the start of the new school year and the onset of the fall season when people begin spending more time indoors, there is no better time to receive this extra level of protection, which targets these variants and prevents transmission of this virus,” Boyle said. 

Last week, 9.9 percent of all COVID tests reported to the state were positive, but that number is not necessarily a good measure of the current spread of the disease, as at-home test results are not routinely reported.

The state also reported 14 COVID-associated deaths in the last week as well as 74 new hospitalizations, bringing the statewide total to 400.

With additional reporting by the Westport Journal.