The CDC now recommends a second COVID-19 vaccine dose for certain people six months after their initial dose.
RT’s Three Key Takeaways:
- Second Dose for High-Risk Groups: The CDC now recommends a second COVID-19 vaccine dose for people aged 65 and older, as well as those who are moderately to severely immunocompromised, six months after their initial dose.
- Flexibility for Additional Doses: The new recommendation also allows moderately or severely immunocompromised individuals to receive three or more doses per year based on consultation with their healthcare provider.
- Enhanced Protection Against Severe Disease: The CDC emphasizes that staying up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccinations is critical to protect against severe illness, hospitalizations, and long COVID, particularly for high-risk populations.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH, endorsed the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ recommendation for people 65 years and older and those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised to receive a second dose of 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine six months after their first dose.
These updated recommendations also allow for flexibility for additional doses (ie, three or more) for those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, in consultation with their healthcare provider.
“This vote allows people to make the best decisions possible to keep themselves and their loved ones safe from COVID-19. CDC will continue to educate the public on how and when to get their updated vaccinations so they can risk less severe illness and do more of what they love,” says Cohen in a release.
Increase Risk of Severe Disease in Older Adults
The recommendation acknowledges the increased risk of severe disease from COVID-19 in older adults and those who are immunocompromised, along with the currently available data on vaccine effectiveness and year-round circulation of COVID-19.
The recommendation also provides clarity to healthcare providers on how many doses should be given per year to people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised and is meant to increase coverage of this second dose for that group.
According to a news release from the CDC, data continues to confirm the importance of vaccination to protect those most at risk for severe outcomes of COVID-19. 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. COVID-19 vaccination also reduces the chance of developing the effects of long COVID, which can develop during or following acute infection and last for an extended duration.
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