Older adults and people with weakened immune systems should receive not just one but two doses of the COVID-19 vaccination this respiratory virus season. This is the new recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
People in these groups should be vaccinated six months apart to protect against the disease, the agency’s vaccine group recently agreed.
Here’s what you need to know about the new advice.
Why do we need multiple shots this season?
The recommendation comes after a summer surge in coronavirus infections led to more hospitalizations among the most vulnerable Americans. Although infection rates are currently low, health experts are concerned that rates could rise again during the holiday season, when people travel more and gather in larger groups. This guidance goes a step further for people with weakened immune systems due to illnesses such as cancer. 3 or more times during this respiratory illness season, depending on how weakened your immune system is and whether you are likely to be exposed to environments where COVID-19 infection may be prevalent. may receive vaccinations.
“What we’ve seen so far is that as the immune population grows, the most vulnerable people start to get squeezed out,” said Dr. says Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, a member of the society. The committee that advised CDC on this decision. “Right now, we know that 70% of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the United States are in people 65 and older, and 50% are in people 75 and older. We believe that we have the potential to reduce the current risk of hospitalization from this disease by 70% in this country.”
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Data also shows that the immunity generated by vaccines wanes after four to six months, so booster shots are needed throughout the year, not just through the fall surge but also through the additional peak we’re experiencing with COVID-19 infections. “We’re still waiting to learn the patterns of this disease,” Maldonado says. “COVID-19 appears to have two peaks per year, but they are not yet well characterized because the virus has been around for so long. Second vaccination Now people don’t have to spend as much time worrying about insurance coverage.”
Will the updated shot work?
Current mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech target the KP.2 variant, and the Novavax vaccine targets the JN.1 variant, neither of which are the main versions currently causing infections in the U.S. . The KP.3.1.1 variant is causing nearly 60% of new COVID-19 infections, and the XEC strain is rapidly becoming more common, accounting for 10% of new infections, according to the CDC’s latest estimates. occupies . These variants appear to spread more easily among people, although there is no evidence yet that they can cause more severe disease. Therefore, by further boosting the immunity of those most vulnerable to complications from COVID-19, we can protect them at a potentially increased chance of infection.
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The KP.2 and JN.1 variants are all subvariants of Omicron, so they are still related to KP.3.1.1, so the vaccine should still provide sufficient protection from severe disease. , said Dr. Stephen Farr, chairman of the American Vaccine Board. Academy of Family Physicians. “I tell[my patients]that the vaccine definitely reduces the risk of hospitalization and death,” he says. “You can still get coronavirus, but if you’ve been vaccinated, you’re much less likely to get infected. And if you do get infected, you’re less likely to get seriously ill.”
This is especially true for older people and people with weakened immune systems. “If you have diabetes or high blood pressure and have multiple problems, COVID-19 can lead to pneumonia, serious illness, and dehydration. Just one illness can cause your body to develop more illnesses and Not only do they get sick, but they die.”
The need for sufficient supply
Vaccination rates are still relatively low. But seeing a friend or family member get infected is still one of the strongest motivators, Farr said, adding that the rise in cases over the summer is making it more difficult for people to get their flu shots due to COVID-19. I believe people are now asking for vaccinations against viral infections. But it has been difficult for family physicians to obtain enough doses to meet that demand. For his practice in Jackson, Alabama, Farr ordered 100 doses of the vaccine a few weeks ago and they are coming in trickle-wise. “I used up my first 20 doses in two days,” he says. “I’m hearing that distributors are either out of stock or on backorder. I don’t know if they’re prioritizing other groups, but with the past two iterations of the COVID-19 vaccine, , we weren’t getting enough supply to meet our needs and it was really frustrating.”
Farr says it’s important to ensure that GPs have sufficient supplies. “People who aren’t begging to be vaccinated are less likely to go to the pharmacy,” he says. “They will go to their primary care physician’s office and discuss the vaccine with their doctor during a physical exam or diabetes test.”
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These conversations are also important to help people understand what vaccines can and cannot do. “The purpose[of vaccination]is not to stop all infections,” Maldonado said. “We’ve never had a goal of stopping transmission or all transmission. The idea was to eliminate hospitalizations and eliminate deaths.”
CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen said in a statement that by allowing additional doses of the coronavirus vaccine, “people can make the best decisions possible to protect themselves and their loved ones from the coronavirus. It will become.” “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.”
