New, variant-specific COVID-19 vaccines are expected to become available this fall, and many older Americans are keen on receiving them, a new study finds.
Fully 61% of previously vaccinated seniors aged 50 years and older are “very likely” to pursue vaccination with the upgraded shots currently in development, they told pollsters from the University of Michigan. And 21% of people in this group said they are “somewhat likely” to do so.
In addition, groups that have been disproportionately affected by severe COVID-19 outcomes are leaning more toward receiving a new vaccine type. Among Black and low- income groups, 68% of people who have had a past COVID-19 vaccination said they are very likely to get a new COVID-19 booster in the fall.
There are also substantial percentages of previously vaccinated older adults who don’t plan to get a fall booster at all, investigators reported. This includes 23% of all adults between ages 50 and 64, and 22% of all white respondents over age 50.
Some data have shown COVID-19 infection rates slowing again, but deaths have remained steady — at about 400 per day — since the spring. Federal officials have asked vaccine-makers Pfizer and Moderna to develop new shots that include protection against omicron variants, which is driving most current infections.
Docs urge more flu shots
Meanwhile, physicians are encouraging Americans to get their influenza vaccinations in time for flu season. Flu vaccination rates are 9.5 percentage points lower as of March 2022 (52%) when compared with the end of March 2021 (61%), and 14 percentage points lower this season when compared with March 2020, according to the American College of Physicians.
“The low incidence of influenza these past two years does not mean that people are not at risk this upcoming flu season,” said Ryan D. Mire, MD, FACP, president of ACP.
It is now recommended that adults aged 65 or older get a high-dose or adjuvanted vaccine, which can offer the greater protection they need to offset their heightened risk of severe disease.
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