Well, the Food and Drug Administration on Monday gave the green light for two updated COVID 19 booster shots for people as young as six months old.

And a nationwide rollout of the newest vaccine is expected to start later this week.

Now that a special advisory panel has signed off on just who should get it.

That includes anyone who's immunocompromised, older Americans and those with chronic disease, they should be first in line.

But the new boosters come with a caveat.

They're the first COVID shots in the country that aren't being paid for by the federal government.

Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan has the story.

I believe it's just going to become very similar to a flu shot.

Pharmacist Brian Pinto says even as the CDC considered this new 2023 COVID vaccine, drugmakers readied boxes for shipment.

The shots will probably arrive at your local pharmacy within days.

Made by Moderna and Pfizer BioNTech this reworked formula targets current Omicron variants like XBB, EG5 and BA286.

Now circulating in the U.S., health experts recommend this new vaccine version.

So what we're finding is any immunity that you got from some of those previous boosters has essentially worn off.

We are in very different territory with new variants.

Epidemiologist Stephanie Silvera says people's ability to fight infection drops away.

Whether their immunity comes from a shot or a prior case, of COVID.

And the CDC emphasized COVID keeps evolving just like influenza.

And I would say anyone who does not want to have very severe COVID disease should also consider taking a booster, much like we take a new flu vaccine every fall.

Public health officials point to a slow uptick in COVID hospitalizations, mostly for infants and the elderly facing a full respiratory virus season.

The FDA issued an emergency authorization for everyone ages six months and older, to get this new COVID shot.

Number one, those who are particularly at risk to immunocompromised people like my brother Brenda, who have MS right, people who have underlying health conditions, people over the age of 60, people who don't have the first booster, it would be extremely important for them to get this booster.

But this time around, there's one big change.

The federal government will not buy all the shots and distribute them for free.

Pharmacies will pay upfront list prices of 120 to $130 a dose plus costs to administer the shot.

It looks like the Moderna vaccine was coming in anywhere between 140 and $155 per shot.

The Biden administration will purchase some doses and drugmakers are expected to contribute free shots as well.

Insurance is expected to pick up the cost for those with coverage.

Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans have have already have already said that it will be paid.

Most major commercial plans.

My anticipation is that as well.

But unfortunately, we know that any barrier that impedes vaccination drops vaccine rates the easier you can make it, the more people will take it.

So it is a concern that we will likely not see as much of an uptake as we did when they were being handed out everywhere.

Less than 20% of the U.S. population opted to get the last booster.

And political divisions remain a factor in who decides to get a shot.

Public health experts also fear cost barriers could widen health care disparities even more for folks without coverage.

Who is going to get sick and severely ill is going to be problematic because those same people, if you don't fall into one of those buckets, also are less likely to present at the hospital early.

Which means they're going to show up when the symptoms are particularly severe, which decreases chance of survival.

Pharmacies expect many people will sign up for both COVID and flu shots, one in each arm.

I'm Brenda Flanagan, NJ Spotlight News.

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