Older US adults should get another COVID-19 shot, advisers say
An influential government advisory panel says older U.S. adults who got a COVID-19 shot in the fall should get a booster dose now
NEW YORK (AP) — Older U.S. adults should roll up their sleeves for another COVID-19 shot, even if they got a booster in the fall, an influential government advisory panel said Wednesday.
The panel voted 11-1 to say Americans 65 and older should get another dose of the updated vaccine that became available in September — if at least four months has passed since their last shot. The committee advises the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who will decide whether to sign off on the recommendation.
The panel's decision came after a lengthy discussion about whether to say older people “may” get the shots or if they “should" do so. That reflects a debate among experts about how necessary another booster is and whether yet another recommendation will add to the public's growing vaccine fatigue.
Some doctors say most older adults are adequately protected by the fall shot, which built on immunity derived from earlier vaccinations and exposure to the virus itself. And preliminary studies so far have shown no substantial waning in vaccine effectiveness over six months.
