LA GRANDE — The demand in Union County for the updated COVID-19 vaccine booster, which provides added protection against the Omicron variant, is greater than the supply.

The Center for Human Development has been receiving doses of the updated booster, known as the bivalent vaccine, each of the past three weeks from the federal government. Each Friday since then, CHD has held drop-in clinics, and each Friday CHD has run out the booster, said Shane Stenquist, CHD’s director of community relations and marketing.

CHD received 100 doses of the bivalent booster the week of Sept. 26-30 and 73 doses the past week, Oct. 10-14. The exact number of the doses received the second week, Oct. 3-7, is not available.

Stenquist said that CHD has been requesting 400 doses each week from the federal government but has received far fewer because of a supply shortage.

Stenquist said the bivalent vaccine is recommended because, while the original coronavirus vaccines have proven effective at preventing death and severe disease from COVID-19, breakthrough infections and reinfections have become more common as the virus has evolved.

The FDA in September authorized and the CDC recommended the bivalent vaccine booster shots because Omicron subvariants are extremely contagious and have been responsible for a high percentage of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths.

Doses will continue to be available on a first-come, first-served basis each Friday at drop-in clinics, Stenquist said. The clinics begin at 9 a.m. at CHD, 2301 Cove Ave., La Grande.

Stenquist said it is important that people receive the bivalent booster because health officials expect an increase in COVID-19 cases soon in the United States.

“We are expecting a surge in November and December,” he said.

Additional information on the bivalent vaccine’s availability from the Center for Human Development on its Facebook page.