Spring COVID-19 booster shots. Who should get it and when?

Spring is the season for sweet strawberries, colorful tulips, crunchy vegetables, and COVID-19 booster shots.

what? What about the spring vaccination for the new coronavirus infection vaccine?

yes.

Health experts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently Recommended additional administration of 2023-2024 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Vaccine Eligible to anyone in the United States age 65 and older.

why? Simple. Over the past few months, hospitalization rates and COVID-19 death rates for people 65 and older have been significantly higher than COVID-19 death and hospitalization rates for younger people, suggesting that vaccines are less effective. is fading over time.

Medical professionals want to provide extra protection to older adults. Committee of CDC Medical Advisors In February, the government recommended everyone over the age of 65 to receive a spring COVID-19 booster vaccination.

To help sort out the details about the new spring COVID-19 booster shot, we turned to UCHealth's Dr. Michelle Barron. Infection Prevention and Control Senior Medical Director.

Who should get the spring COVID-19 booster vaccination?

CDC experts recommended boosters for everyone age 65 and older. In addition, people with compromised immune systems are also eligible to receive a booster dose of the coronavirus vaccine, Barron said. Professor in University of Colorado School of Medicine in Anschutz Medical Campus.

Why are health experts recommending spring COVID-19 vaccinations for older adults?

At this stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, older people are having a more difficult time if they develop severe cases of coronavirus. This is not surprising, since the immune system of older people is not as strong as that of young people, apart from young people who have weakened immune systems.

Here are some reasons why CDC medical advisors recommend getting the spring COVID-19 booster shot.

• More than half of the people who had to be hospitalized with COVID-19 between October and December 2023 were 65 and older, according to CDC researchers.
• Four years into the pandemic, deaths from COVID-19 continue to rise, and people over 65 are at much higher risk of dying from COVID-19 than younger people. Become.
• As people age, the risk of death from COVID-19 continues to rise. People aged 75 and older were much more likely to contract COVID-19 and die from it than people aged 65 to 74.
• Fewer people across all age groups are receiving the latest COVID-19 vaccines. Among people of all ages, only about 22% of U.S. adults have received the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine, which was reissued last year to increase protection against the latest variants. Prescribed. Older adults are more likely to receive the latest vaccine, with about 43% of people 75 and older receiving the latest vaccine, according to CDC data.
• The effectiveness of vaccines diminishes over time, so it's great to boost your immune system to fight COVID-19, especially for vulnerable populations.

So, if you got your last COVID-19 vaccine in the fall, when should you get the booster shot in the spring?

“It's best to wait at least four months after your last COVID-19 vaccine,” Baron says.

What should I do if I recently had COVID-19? Should I still get the spring COVID-19 booster shot?

No, if you have recently had COVID-19, you will need to wait approximately three months.

“You don't want to get a new vaccine until 90 days have passed since your last case of COVID-19,” Barron said.

What should I do if I want to receive the latest coronavirus vaccine, which is expected to arrive in the fall? Should I wait? When is the best time to receive the vaccine?

No, you don't have to wait for a vaccine in the fall. There is no need to wait for the spring booster shot unless you have recently had COVID-19. If you are 65 or older or have a compromised immune system, you should get a booster dose of the 2023-2024 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine now. (Learn more about the 2023-2024 vaccines that arrived last fall.)

Vaccine manufacturers and CDC experts are planning a newly formulated coronavirus vaccine for fall 2024, but don't wait to get your hands on that version. Anyone who received a booster shot this spring will be eligible to receive the latest coronavirus vaccine this fall.

Is it wise for everyone over 65 to get the COVID-19 vaccine?

Yes, Barron said it would be very prudent to give another dose.

She and other researchers are conducting a study that will be published soon that shows why extra doses may be so valuable for at-risk older adults.

“Hospitalization rates are high in this group,” Barron said.

How effective are the latest COVID-19 vaccines?

Like the typical flu shot, the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine is not perfect, but it can help prevent deaths and reduce hospitalizations, Baron said.

“The vaccine is only about 50 to 60 percent effective,” Baron said.

Baron said some may argue that the level of efficacy of the vaccine is not very high.

But Barron, who works hard every day to keep people healthy from UCHealth's 14 Colorado hospitals, believes a vaccine that can prevent as many as two-thirds of people from becoming seriously ill is incredibly valuable. said.

“That's very convincing,” Baron said.

“These vaccines may not prevent disease, but if they prevent death or hospitalization, simple logic tells us that it's really a good thing,” she said.

So Baron's final advice for elderly patients and relatives is very simple. Let's go get the additional COVID-19 vaccine that will be given in the spring. You can also get vaccinated, regardless of your age, even if you have never received the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine.

I have heard that the effectiveness of the new coronavirus vaccine will fade over time. TRUE?

yes. It is true that vaccines become less effective over time. Therefore, it is wise for people over 65 to get a booster vaccination this spring.

Baron also said that although the effectiveness of vaccines fades over time, getting a COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot is still very helpful because it reduces deaths and hospitalizations.

Mr. Baron is the co-author of: CDC's important new research This is an evaluation of how COVID-19 vaccines perform over time.

Research shows that the effectiveness of the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine, which began last fall and is scheduled to be given this spring, will be greater than the first dose after the so-called “monovalent vaccine.” It was said to be strongest between the 7th and 59th. “shot. Researchers found that the vaccine's effectiveness dropped to about 43% two to four months after vaccination. Although not perfect, vaccines continue to provide some protection over time.

What is the current status of hospitalizations due to respiratory diseases such as novel coronavirus infection, influenza, and RSV?

“We continue to see as many cases of COVID-19 as we do the flu,” Baron said. (It is also possible for a patient to be infected with both influenza and COVID-19 or RSV at the same time. Please read here for more information. )

“COVID-19 remains a significant component of the respiratory disease pathogens currently requiring hospitalization,” Barron said.

Of course, there's also pandemic fatigue. Are people forgetting that vulnerable patients are still dying from both COVID-19 and influenza?

that's right. Baron said many people don't think much about the flu or COVID-19, but these respiratory illnesses can be deadly and can cause severe illness.

“People can and do die from influenza. Of course, that applies to COVID-19 as well,” Barron said.

“Thankfully, we now know that the vast majority of people infected with COVID-19 simply get sick and stay home and recover. Or they just have a mild infection. “Maybe, but that's great,” Barron said. “But for some people, especially older people and people with weakened immune systems, these viruses can have very dire effects.”

What do you think about the CDC's latest guidelines that no longer require you to isolate if you test positive for COVID-19 but feel sick?

Baron thinks Latest CDC guidelines Simplify things.

“My message in all of this is to use good old common sense. If you're sick, don't visit your elderly and vulnerable grandmother or grandfather. Spend time with a friend who just finished cancer treatment. “Please do not spend time in your home or visit your newborn baby,” Barron said. “Whatever virus we're talking about, all of these people are at risk for complications if they get sick.

“So be smart,” Barron said. “We all understand the concept of protecting people from viral infection.

What do you recommend as the right approach if people get sick, even if they haven't been tested and don't know if they have COVID-19, influenza, RSV, or the common cold?

“If you feel sick and are coughing or sneezing, or if you can't eat or drink, you should stay home. Your colleagues will be grateful if you don't hack all day long again,” Baron said. he said.

“If you have a fever, whatever the cause, you should not come to work or school until your fever has subsided for at least 24 hours,” she says. “In fact, this is a rule in most schools, and it's not new. It's just good old common sense. If you're sick, you should stay home, and you don't want to spread what you have to others. .”

What are the basics of the CDC's latest guidelines for isolating after a positive COVID-19 test?

Health experts advise people to stay home and avoid contact with others for at least 24 hours after developing a fever, severe cough or other signs of illness.

Even after your fever has subsided, some people may remain infectious, so you need to be careful about infecting others. CDC experts encourage people to practice good hygiene, such as frequent hand washing, and to wear masks when in crowded indoor settings. It's also wise to keep your distance from vulnerable people and make sure you're in a well-ventilated area.

Under the old guidelines, CDC experts encouraged people to quarantine for at least five days. Fewer people are becoming seriously ill from coronavirus infection because more people now have some degree of immunity to the virus that causes it, either through vaccination or previous infection. Guidance for people in healthcare settings may vary. Read our frequently asked questions about new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) guidelines.

How do these guidelines simplify how we should act in case of illness?

Barron said the new guidelines are standard advice that all of us should take if we become ill, whether we have COVID-19, influenza, RSV, norovirus or any other infectious disease. Therefore, I think it is simpler.

If you are sick, please stay home. If you have symptoms of illness, do not expose others, especially vulnerable people.