People at highest risk for the most severe complications of the coronavirus, primarily those 65 and older, should get booster shots this spring, advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.
They said cases could rise again this summer and that revaccinating people in the coming months would provide the best protection possible.
Over the past four years, coronavirus outbreaks have tended to occur in both winter and summer, with peak cases occurring in January and August, respectively. CDC.
As a result, CDC advisers said the approach to coronavirus vaccination remains different from the strategy used for influenza, which typically peaks only in the winter.
“Hopefully, where the season is really clear, we’re moving towards more flu-like situations,” CDC epidemiologist Megan Wallace said Wednesday. “There are, but I don’t think we’ve reached that point yet.” Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
The committee’s vote to recommend spring boosters for seniors will not be final until approved by CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen. She doesn’t have to follow the committee’s advice, but she usually does. Health insurance providers will need an official recommendation from the CDC to cover additional doses.
Additional doses should be given at least 4 months after the previous dose for healthy older adults, or at least 4 months after the previous dose. 3 months after infection with the new coronavirus. Additional shots may be needed for people with weakened immune systems.
“This is a great opportunity to remind people of the importance of getting vaccinated,” said Kansas City, Missouri Health Department Director Marvia Jones. “We are certainly concerned about the vulnerability of people in that age group when it comes to COVID-19.”
The spring booster is the same one approved last fall and was designed to target the XBB.1.5 subvariant.The vaccine is Effective against JN.1 subvariants,the current, It accounts for the majority (more than 96%) of new coronavirus infections in the United States.
On Wednesday, the advisory committee released new data showing that vaccination reduced the chance of being hospitalized with coronavirus by up to 54% in healthy people over 65.
The CDC is expected to release additional details about its study on Thursday.
Hospitalizations due to coronavirus infections peaked in early January, with 35,000 people hospitalized per week. By February 7, the number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 had fallen to about 20,000 people per week.
Throughout last year, the number of weekly hospitalizations due to COVID-19 never fell below 6,000, according to the CDC. The majority are elderly people over 65 years old.
The number of deaths due to the new coronavirus is also decreasing. Still, at its low point last summer, the CDC was reporting about 500 coronavirus deaths per week.
