U.S. health officials recommended this week that some Americans should receive multiple doses of the latest coronavirus vaccines because their age and certain health conditions make them more susceptible to serious infections.
New guidelines approved by the Vaccine Advisory Committee and supported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say people 65 and older and those with weakened immune systems should be vaccinated this fall, six months after their first dose. They will need to receive the second dose of the vaccines that have been rolled out. Wednesday is prevention.
Even people with weakened immune systems may have the option of receiving three or more vaccinations if their doctor deems it prudent.
“This vote allows people to do the best they can to protect themselves and their loved ones from COVID-19,” CDC Director Mandy Cohen said in a news release announcing the new recommendations. I can make a decision.” “CDC continues to educate the public about how and when to get the latest vaccinations to reduce their risk of serious illness and help them do more of the things they love.”
Officials said the latest measures will make it easier for those most at risk of death or severe illness from the coronavirus to receive additional protection.
“This recommendation, along with currently available data on vaccine efficacy and annual COVID-19 prevalence, recognizes the increased risk of severe disease from COVID-19 in older adults and immunocompromised individuals. ,” the CDC said in a news release. . “This recommendation also provides clarity to health care providers about how many vaccinations per year should be given to moderately or severely immunocompromised patients, and expands the scope of second-dose vaccinations for that group. It is aimed at
Experts said the new advice would give doctors more latitude to decide how many coronavirus vaccinations their patients need.
“If the person is willing to get infected, that’s great,” said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee. We have permission,” he said. York Times.
Despite the availability of the latest vaccines, COVID-19 vaccination rates are dismal. As of Oct. 12, fewer than 12 percent of adults reported having received an up-to-date vaccine, according to the latest data from the CDC.
Vaccines provide some protection against possible infection, hospitalization, and death, but immunity declines over time.
“Now more than ever, we need a more durable strategy for vaccination,” Dr. Mark Sala, co-director of Northwestern Medicine’s COVID-19 Center in Chicago, told the Times. .
The coronavirus has turned out to be an ingenious virus that spreads all year round and spikes unexpectedly. That makes it difficult to protect people, especially those with weakened immune systems. The CDC’s new recommendations reflect that reality, Schaffner said.
“This is not how we normally administer vaccines,” he said. But “we need to move to this new way of providing protection through vaccines.”
More information: The CDC has more information about the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
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