U.S. Health Officials Recommend Additional COVID-19 Vaccine Shot for Older Adults
As the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic continues, U.S. health officials are now urging older adults to get an additional updated COVID-19 vaccine shot. The advice, recently issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), aims to provide added protection for those at highest risk.
The CDC’s new guidance comes after much debate among experts about the necessity of additional COVID-19 shots for older people. Some doctors argue that most older adults are effectively protected after receiving the shot last autumn, while studies have suggested that the shots remain effective for up to six months. However, health officials have noted that the body’s vaccine-activated defenses can decrease over time, especially in older individuals.
The CDC’s decision to recommend additional COVID-19 shots, or boosters, for older adults in 2022 and 2023 is based on the understanding that COVID-19 still presents serious health risks, particularly to older people and those with existing medical conditions. Despite ongoing vaccination efforts, there are still more than 20,000 hospitalizations and over 2,000 deaths each week from COVID-19 in the United States. Individuals aged 65 and older have the highest hospitalization and death rates.
The new guidance suggests that individuals who have already received the updated shot should wait at least four months before getting the latest dose. This recommendation aims to provide increased protection, even if older adults received the updated shot version launched last September.
Dr. Jamie Loehr, a member of the CDC’s deciding committee and a family doctor in Ithaca, New York, explained that the use of the word “should” in the guidance is meant to persuade more doctors and drug stores to offer the shots. By making it easier for providers to recommend the additional dose, health officials hope to increase vaccination rates among older adults.
In September, the U.S. government ordered a new COVID-19 shot based on a version of the virus called XBB.1.5. This single-target vaccine replaced combinations that had targeted both the first COVID-19 version and a much earlier Omicron version. The CDC recommended this vaccine version for everyone aged 6 months and older, and it also urged people with weak immune systems to get a second shot up to two months after the first.
However, despite these recommendations, the latest CDC data shows that the vaccination rate for adults 65 and older is only around 42 percent. Dr. David Canaday, an infectious diseases expert at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, expressed concerns about over-recommending the vaccine. He emphasized that people are tired of getting multiple shots and that caution is necessary in striking the right balance between protecting public health and avoiding vaccine fatigue.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, it is crucial for individuals, especially older adults, to stay informed about the latest guidance from health officials. The additional updated COVID-19 vaccine shot offers an opportunity for increased protection against the virus, particularly for those at highest risk. By following the CDC’s recommendations, individuals can play an active role in safeguarding their health and the well-being of their communities.
Sources: The Associated Press, Reuters
