New COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations for those 65+

from Dr. Eric Neverman, internal medicine and pediatrics provider, UnityPoint Clinic - Grundy Center Family Medicine

Recently the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its recommendations for the COVID vaccine for all people ages 65 and older.

Effective immediately, those individuals should receive one additional dose of any updated COVID-19 vaccine (meaning the 2023-24 formula). This additional dose should be at least four months (or two months for immunocompromised persons) following the most recent previous dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

If you’re wondering why this update is needed at the tail end of flu season, it’s because the COVID strains are still a threat. It’s true that COVID more closely resembles the flu these days, but it can be problematic for our older generation.

The CDC’s reasons behind the additional dose are:

·         This age group has the highest hospitalization rate

·         Waning immunity is expected, based on previous vaccine formulations

·         The updated vaccine remains effective against the current circulating strains

·         A favorable safety profile has been established with three years of robust surveillance

·         This additional dose should extend protection until the next updated vaccine is available

The 2023-24 formula consists of variations from Moderna, Novavax and Pfizer-BioNTech. To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccines, visit the following CDC page: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/clinical-considerations. 

Do you need to get a booster for the COVID vaccine? Our team at UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine – Grundy Center would be glad to help. Call (319) 824-6945 to schedule or learn more.