ROGERS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The Centers for Disease Control met on September 12 to discuss the updated COVID-19 vaccine which it recommends the public should take.

As part of its effort to combat COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control recommends that children six months and older get the updated vaccine. In spite of the fact that the virus has been lower than at other points during the pandemic, hospitalizations and deaths continue to remain high.

A study conducted last winter and fall found that people who had been vaccinated during those seasons did better with the virus than those who had not been vaccinated.

Mercy Hospital’s Dr. Steven Brown listened in on the CDC meeting where he gathered a deeper understanding of the updates.

“So, it is a green light all across the board to start vaccinating with the newest vaccine. It is also important that the vaccine that proceeded this one, which is called the bivalent vaccine, is no longer recommended. Giving the bivalent at this time would be wrong, there is a new vaccine which covers the current variant of COVID-19”, said Dr. Brown.