Older Adults and Immunocompromised Advised to Get Extra COVID Shots

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has some new advice for older adults and people with weakened immune systems. It’s all about getting an extra dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to stay safe. If you’re 65 or older, or if your immune system isn’t as strong, the CDC says to get a second dose of the updated vaccine six months after your last shot. People with serious health issues might need even more doses. The CDC’s director, Dr. Mandy Cohen, thinks this will help people make the best decisions to protect themselves and their loved ones. This update comes at a time when health experts are keeping a close eye on respiratory illnesses like the flu and RSV, along with COVID-19. As of mid-October, COVID-19 hospitalizations and emergency room visits were going down, and viruses weren’t causing much trouble across the country. But the future is uncertain, especially as winter approaches. The CDC hopes that hospitalizations and severe cases will stay similar to or lower than what happened in 2023. They believe vaccines will be crucial in keeping the numbers low. Getting the updated vaccine can also help protect against new variants of the virus and reduce the risk of Long COVID, which means ongoing symptoms after the initial infection. While the latest vaccines aren’t perfect, experts say they still offer strong protection. Dr. Dean Blumberg from UC Davis Health explained that the 2024 vaccines are about 80% effective against current variants and much better than older versions.