Registration spots for the new version of the COVID-19 vaccine at Butler Health System have filled up fast for all scheduled clinics so far.

The Food and Drug Administration recently approved the vaccine to protect against the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 strains of COVID-19. Karen Gagen, Butler Health System’s vaccination coordinator, said the number of people getting the vaccine will help reduce community transmission.

Gagen said the new version is “bivalent,” meaning that it targets two strains.

“It targets two things instead of one; the monovalent targeted the initial strain,” Gagen said. “Especially if you are vaccinated and boosted, you have less chance of being hospitalized.”

The vaccine clinics offering the bivalent vaccine is by appointment only. Gagen said the first bivalent vaccine clinic hosted at Butler Memorial Hospital on Friday, Sept. 9 had 265 registration spots, which filled up in one day.

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