Older adults in the U.S. are being urged to get an additional COVID-19 booster shot, even if they received one in the fall. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new guidance recommending that adults aged 65 and older receive an “additional updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine dose” due to the increased risk of severe disease from COVID-19 in this age group.
The announcement was made by Mandy Cohen, CDC director, and the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The agency emphasized the importance of providing added protection to older adults, as most COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations last year occurred among people aged 65 and older.
In addition to older adults, those who are immunocompromised are also eligible for an additional booster shot. This eligibility was announced back in October 2023. The CDC’s recommendation is based on the higher risk of death from COVID-19 in older adults and the relatively low efficacy of the vaccines against current mismatched circulating strains.
Dr. Marc Siegel, a clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, emphasized that the decision to get an additional dose should be made on a case-by-case basis. Factors such as the patient’s health condition and the prevalence of the virus should be taken into consideration.
Dr. Jacob Glanville, a virology expert and founder of Centivax, a San Francisco pharmaceutical company, explained that the CDC’s advice is rooted in the need to increase the proportion of antibodies and T-cells that can respond to a mismatched strain. This can provide additional protection against the virus.
According to CDC data as of February 23, only 41.8% of adults aged 65 and over have received the updated COVID vaccine. The compliance rate for adults aged 18 and over is 22.3%, while it is 13.1% for children.
The recommendation for older adults to receive an additional COVID-19 booster shot aims to address the increased risk of severe disease in this age group. While the vaccine is considered effective against prevailing strains, the CDC advises that the decision to get a booster shot should be based on individual circumstances. It is crucial to ensure that older adults and immunocompromised individuals have adequate protection against the virus.
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