ITHACA, N.Y. (WHCU) – Health officials in Tompkins County say the new COVID-19 vaccine is in.

The Tompkins County Whole Health Department (TCWH) says to call your primary care provider or a local pharmacy to schedule an appointment. The one-time shot is effective against new and current strains of the virus.

“Please stay up to date on vaccination to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death,” said TCWH Medical Director Dr. William Klepack. “We are anticipating another challenging winter with the triple threat of COVID-19, Flu, and RSV.”

The vaccine is approved for anyone 6 months and older so long as it’s been two months since your last dose. Whole Health cautions the public to be patient as rolling out the vaccine can be slow, and delays are expected.

“This is our fourth season with COVID-19, and we know that following these steps helps to reduce [the] spread of the disease,” said TCWH Commissioner Frank Kruppa. “We have seen an increase in COVID-19 cases over the past 6 weeks and know that with reduced laboratory-confirmed PCR testing and more testing done at home, the status of the disease prevalence is likely to be much higher than what is reported. We urge continued caution and recommend you get vaccinated with the updated vaccines as soon as you are able, especially as we move into Flu and RSV season.”