The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has suggested that individuals aged 65 and above should get an extra dose of the 2023-2024 Formula COVID-19 vaccine.
The CDC recommends receiving an updated vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Novavax to protect against severe illness from COVID-19. The Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine (NVX-CoV2601) is now accessible at major retail pharmacies across the nation for this purpose. Even though the Novavax vaccine has not yet received FDA approval, it has been granted emergency use authorization.
CDC Director Mandy Cohen has backed the committee’s proposal for older adults to get an updated dose of the current COVID-19 vaccine, provided it has been a minimum of four months since their last shot or three months since a COVID-19 infection.
Extra doses can enhance protection for older adults, a demographic at higher risk of severe illness from the virus, as the virus remains a threat, particularly to older adults and those with compromised immune systems.
Despite continuous vaccination campaigns, there are still notable hospitalizations and fatalities each week as a result of COVID-19, with adults over 65 facing the greatest impact.
The CDC notes that those who receive the latest vaccine are 50% less likely to get sick if exposed to the virus compared to those who are unvaccinated.
The FDA’s VRBPAC will advise on the strains for COVID-19 vaccines in the 2024-25 season on May 16. The CDC is evaluating the timing of the next recommendation, considering the advantages of early planning while being ready for potential shifts in COVID epidemiology or strains that may require immediate action.
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