In preparation for a possible rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the fall or winter, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that millions of Americans, including those as young as 12, receive an updated booster shot targeting the omicron variant.

The CDC's advisory committee voted and approved updated vaccinations from Moderna for people 18 and older, and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccinations for people 12 and older.

Two updated versions of COVID booster shots will be available soon.

"The new shot that was approved by the FDA on Wednesday is a bivalent shot, which means it contains two components that will protect individuals not only from the original strain of COVID that was circulating, but also from the more contagious and recent omicron variances BA.4 and BA.5," Albany County Health Commissioner Dr. Elizabeth Whalen said.

There were concerns among some committee members that recommending a vaccine without human trials would create a precedent.

Although there is no human data, Dr. Thomas A. Russo, professor of Medicine at the University at Buffalo, said most evidence shows you will develop significant amounts of antibodies against the circulating variant in the country.

Based on previous formulations of boosters, most of the data correlated very well with human data.

Those seeking their COVID booster can have it administered at pharmacies, clinics and private clinics.