Metro Detroit medical providers, patients prepare for updated COVID vaccine

On Thursday, the FDA approved new updated COVID vaccines for this fall, targeting new strains to give better protection against the virus.

The vaccines could be available within days, just as Michigan and the country are in the midst of a surge in COVID cases.

"I work between the hospital, which is local, and my clinics, and we're seeing a huge spike in COVID currently,” said Dr. Ali Shuayto, D.O.

Dr. Shuayto is Medical Director at The Heights Urgent Care in Dearborn Heights. They also have locations in Redford and Eastpointe. While Dr. Shuayto says most cases he’s seen haven’t been too severe, he’s still getting ready for a new round of COVID vaccines just approved by the FDA.

“It seems within the next few weeks we should be up and running and have them in stock in our offices,” said Dr. Shuayto.

The vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna are simply updated to better target more recent strains circulating in the U.S. Many patients are eager to get it.

"I am very happy to hear it," said Tammy Blevins. "I'll be getting it as soon as possible.”

Blevins has been waiting for this news, especially after her last bout of COVID in December.

“(It) Was pretty bad, I had to be hospitalized. I had a 104 fever,” said Blevins. "That experience really makes me want to get the new one, so I will definitely be getting it.”

Dr. Michael Brown is the university physician at Michigan State University. He highly recommends the updated vaccines for those most vulnerable and also recommends it for younger students returning to MSU's campus.

“The number of emergency department visits due to COVID have bumped up slightly, but it pales in comparison to what we saw the first couple years of the pandemic,” said Brown. "I will be recommending that people go out and get a vaccine, but it’s not mandatory or required like it was during the peak of the pandemic.”

What also could be different with this vaccine is the cost. The COVID vaccine has been free for everyone since the pandemic, but that federal program ends this month. While most insurance providers will cover the vaccine, those uninsured patients may be stuck with a bill.

“The unfortunate part is we used to be able to give them to everybody for free who was insured and even uninsured, now we're running into issues who’s going to cover them if they’re not insured," said Dr. Shuayto. "We're working with officials and everything like that to see if there’s some form of program that we can get out there for people who are not insured to get them vaccinated.”

Novavax also has an updated COVID vaccine they hope is approved soon.