United States: CDC latest guidelines urge those aged 65 and above, as well as those with weakened immune systems, to take two doses of the new and updated COVID vaccine.
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Recipients in these groups should get their second dose at least six months after their first dose, the CDC said on Wednesday (October 23).
This recommendation also allows those with moderate to severe immunosuppression to receive three or even more doses, the agency said.
Some patients may wish to discuss with their medical provider if they might be a candidate for receiving three or more doses.
It also takes into consideration the fact that while flu is seasonal, COVID-19 is an all-year disease, meaning that some patients are better off getting a shot at building immunity more than once a year.
What more are the experts stating?
“The recommendation acknowledges the increased risk of severe disease from COVID-19 in older adults and those who are immunocompromised,” according to the CDC.
Moreover, “Receiving recommended 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines can restore and enhance protection against the virus variants currently responsible for most infections and hospitalizations in the United States,” the CDC added.
“COVID-19 vaccination also reduces the chance of suffering the effects of Long COVID,” it continued.
What does the CDC recommendation state?
All people aged six months and up should receive at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine for the current season. Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, and Novavax vaccines are available, with the main focus on booster doses.
The first two shots use a genetic molecule called mRNA as their main component, while the Novavax vaccine includes virus proteins and an adjuvant, an agent for boosting immune reactions.
As for the differences, the CDC says that there are no preferred regimes, but Novavax is only safe for use among individuals of 12 years and above, while the rest of the vaccines are safe for use among individuals who are six months old and above.
Children may be advised at the moment to do one to three doses of the vaccine depending on which brand they receive this year and if they have been vaccinated for COVID-19 ever.
They are all presented on the CDC website in equally rich detail. The vaccines to be administered in 2024-2025 are new in the sense that they have included new types of the coronavirus which has recently been discovered.
The Pfizer and Moderna shots are designed to combat a variant of the omicron family tree known as KP.2 that started becoming prevalent in June.