Yes, older Americans will need to get another round of coronavirus vaccinations, but if you’ve already gotten the latest version, there’s no need to rush.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced last week that people over 65 and those with weakened immune systems will need a second dose of a new vaccine released in September.
However, you will need to wait 6 months after the first vaccination. This means you will be eligible as early as March next year.
Why is the CDC pushing for two doses when the first dose is still being administered?
“This is predictive” based on infection trends from previous years, said Dr. Jeffrey Silvers, medical director of pharmacy and infection control at Sutter Health in Castro Valley. This is the second year in a row that the CDC has issued recommendations twice a year.
Scientists now know that two vaccinations are needed each year to maintain immunity and keep up with the effects of virus mutations, says the California Immunization Coalition (California Immunization Coalition). said Silvers, who serves as an advisor to the Coalition. infection.
The rollouts that take place each fall and spring will represent one way in which the coronavirus will be permanently integrated into everyday life.
Meanwhile, if you’ve been putting off getting your first dose of the updated 2024-2025 coronavirus vaccine, now is the time. Last year, only 40% of seniors received one dose of the revised vaccine. Willingness to receive both doses was even lower, with 8.9% of older adults and 5.4% of immunocompromised adults receiving both doses.
According to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the complexity of schedules and frequent changes in vaccine recommendations have led to confusion and reduced vaccination rates. It is true that it is difficult to gather enthusiasm for six-month vaccinations. But formalizing a two-dose vaccination schedule, one in the fall and one in the spring, is intended to help.
The goal is to build a vaccine program that protects the most vulnerable populations for the maximum amount of time. This is an update to last summer’s recommendation that no additional doses be given to older adults.
If you’re like many of us, you’ve probably forgotten how many vaccinations you’ve received.
Experts say it’s time to stop counting. Rather, what matters is how recently you received the injection. Protection against severe forms of the coronavirus that require emergency room treatment and hospitalization wears off within four to six months.
There are a few things you should know before making your reservation.
Q: There is no need to get two doses of the influenza vaccine. Why do we need two COVID-19 vaccinations each year? Some diseases only require one vaccine in a lifetime.
A: A “stable” virus that doesn’t replicate as quickly provides long-lasting immunity and requires fewer boosters. For example, you only need a tetanus shot once every 10 years. Measles, smallpox, and polio require once-in-a-lifetime vaccinations.
In contrast, both influenza and coronaviruses replicate rapidly. This means there are many opportunities to generate further mutations that create new variants that evade immune defenses.
Influenza viruses are highly seasonal. (If they stick together, you will need two shots.)
The coronavirus is prevalent all year round, with peaks in winter and late summer. Therefore, more frequent protection is required.
Q: Are two doses sufficient for people with weakened immune systems?
A: Not necessarily. CDC experts suggest additional doses (three or even more) of the new vaccine for moderately to severely immunocompromised people in consultation with their physicians.
However, he advised patients to wait two months between each vaccination, depending on their circumstances.
Q: Will the second dose be the same as the dose released in September?
A: Yes. But it’s different from the 2023-2024 vaccine.
Q: How will the 2024-2025 vaccine be different from last year’s vaccine?
A: Current vaccines more closely target the JN.1 strain of the Omicron variant of the virus. The vaccine introduced last fall targeted the XBB.1.5 strain. After the rollout of the latest vaccines last fall, more than 30 new mutations of JN.1 surfaced, worrying experts.
Q: Can I mix the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines?
A: We do not recommend it.
There is no problem in receiving vaccines from different manufacturers every year. However, when receiving the second dose of a two-dose series, experts at the CDC’s Oct. 24 meeting of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended continuing to use the same manufacturer. If the same vaccine is not available or the previous manufacturer is unknown, doses from a different manufacturer may be given.
Q: I contracted the coronavirus during the summer wave. Am I eligible for the 2024-2025 vaccine?
A: Yes, but wait 3 months after getting sick. You still have some protection, so you don’t need a vaccine.
Q: Why is the second dose not recommended for younger people?
A: The second dose will not harm young people and will provide protection. However, the CDC is most concerned about hospitalizations and deaths among the elderly and immunocompromised due to weakened immune systems.
When we are young, our bodies have a well-coordinated network of defenses against foreign invaders like the coronavirus. The thymus gland, which produces infection-fighting T cells, reaches its maximum size during puberty and then steadily shrinks.
In older adults, the number, activity, and diversity of T cells decline, a phenomenon scientists call “immunosenescence.” By age 50, T-cell production is less than 10% of its peak, making it harder for older people to remove viruses from their blood. Older people are also more likely to experience chronic inflammation in their lungs and other organs.
And younger people are more likely to recover from illness. When they get sick, “healthy young people tend to be able to weather the storm a little better,” Silvers said.
Q: Are we destined to receive constantly updated coronavirus vaccines for the rest of our lives?
A: Not if the research is successful. Federally funded scientific teams are working to develop a “universal” vaccine that would provide immunity against many virus variants, including versions that don’t yet exist. They hope to do this by targeting regions that remain unchanged as the virus mutates.
Such targets are usually the least accessible to the immune system. This poses a major challenge for vaccine researchers. But with recent advances in vaccine technology, researchers believe a universal vaccine is closer to reality than ever before.
2024-2025 COVID-19 Vaccination Schedule:
Child’s age 6 months to 4 years
• Unvaccinated: Must receive first multiple doses of mRNA vaccine in 2024-2025.
• Previously completed the initial series: One dose of the 2024-2025 mRNA vaccine from the same manufacturer as the initial series is required.
People aged 5-64:
• Requires one dose of the 2024-2025 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine.
People over 65 years old:
• Requires two doses of the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine six months apart.
People with moderate or severe immunodeficiency
• Unvaccinated: Complete initial series, then receive at least one dose of 2024-2025 vaccine, plus other options
• Vaccinated: Two or more doses of the 2024-2025 mRNA vaccine, 6 months apart. May receive three or more doses of the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine under shared clinical decision-making
Source: CDC
First Published: October 28, 2024 3:30pm PDT
