Adults 65 and Up Should Get a COVID-19 Booster This Spring, CDC Says – Everyday Health

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that people 65 and older get a second dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine this spring to restore waning immunity.

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If you're in this age group, you are able to get an additional dose if its been at least four months since your previous shot.

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It seems pretty clear that vulnerable people are losing their immunity in less than a year, so now seems like a good time to get an updated shot, saysStuart C. Ray, MD, a professor in the division of infectious diseases at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. He notes that vaccine effectiveness can begin to fade after about 90 days.

There is a gradual loss of immunity and an increased likelihood of getting symptomatically infected again, and the protection drops off faster the more vulnerable you are, says Dr. Ray.

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I take care of people with infectious disease at Johns Hopkins, and Im still seeing people with bad symptoms from COVID, and consistently these are people who have not recently been vaccinated, says Ray.

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If you are vaccinated and still get infected, the symptoms of the illness are usually less harsh. Vaccination also cuts your chances of suffering the effects of long COVID, which can develop during or following acute infection and last for an extended duration.

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Everyone 6 months or older is eligible to get an updated COVID-19 vaccine. Even if youre not among those most susceptible to serious illness, the shot not only protects you but helps prevent transmitting the virus to those who are more likely to experience more harmful consequences.

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I think theres a lot of misinformation and thats unfortunate, says Ray. Im not sure how to counter that except by continuing to communicate what the science is showing and that were trying to do our best to keep people safe.

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Adults 65 and Up Should Get a COVID-19 Booster This Spring, CDC Says - Everyday Health