Arthur Allen | KFF Health News (TNS)
An expert federal panel recommended that everyone over the age of 6 months should receive the latest covid-19 booster. By expanding the recommendation to all individuals, the panel estimated that it could prevent 100,000 additional hospitalizations each year compared to vaccinating only the elderly. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) voted 13-1 in favor of the motion, following extensive debate over whether to limit the recommendation to high-risk groups. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had previously approved the new booster, confirming its safety and efficacy in protecting against current covid variants present in the United States.
In 2022, only 17% of the U.S. population received the last booster, in contrast to the roughly half of the population that received the initial booster when it became available in fall 2021. Widespread adoption of the booster was hindered by pandemic fatigue and the realization that the shots do not always completely prevent covid infections. However, data presented during the panel’s meeting demonstrated that those who did receive the booster were significantly less likely to experience severe illness or death.
The virus can lead to serious illness in individuals without underlying conditions, resulting in more deaths among children than other vaccine-preventable diseases, such as chickenpox prior to universal vaccination against those pathogens. Recent CDC data reveals a slight increase in the number of hospitalized patients with covid, and infectious disease experts anticipate a surge in cases during the late fall and winter months.
The covid boosters are manufactured by Moderna and Pfizer, along with their German partner, BioNTech. These companies have launched national marketing campaigns to promote vaccination. The advisory committee deferred a decision on a third booster produced by Novavax, as it has not yet received FDA approval. Here’s what you need to know:
Who should receive the covid booster?
The CDC advises that everyone over 6 months old should receive the booster for the overall benefit of society. The highest-risk individuals for severe disease include babies, toddlers, the elderly, pregnant women, and individuals with chronic health conditions, including obesity. While the risks are lower for others, they are not entirely eliminated. The vaccines provide protection against infection for a limited period of a few months. However, they are highly effective in preventing hospitalization and death, and can help slow the spread of the disease to vulnerable individuals who may not generate a strong response to the vaccine due to weakened immune systems.
Pablo Sánchez, a pediatrics professor at The Ohio State University, dissented from the CDC panel’s decision due to concerns about insufficient testing of the boosters, particularly in children. The vaccine strain used in the new boosters received approval only in June, with most tests conducted in mice or monkeys. Nevertheless, nearly identical vaccines have been administered safely to billions of people worldwide.
When should you receive the booster?
The vaccine manufacturers plan to roll out the booster starting this week. If you are in a high-risk group and have not been vaccinated or recently recovered from covid, it is recommended to receive the booster immediately. However, if you are planning to travel during the holiday season, it may be wise to schedule the shot for late October or early November to maximize the duration of high vaccine-induced protection.
Who will cover the cost of the booster?
When the ACIP recommends a vaccine for children, the government is legally obligated to ensure free coverage, and the same applies to commercial insurance coverage for adult vaccines. For the 25 to 30 million uninsured adults, the federal government has established the Bridge Access Program. This program will cover the cost of covid shots at rural and community health centers, as well as Walgreens, CVS, and some independent pharmacies. Manufacturers have also agreed to donate some doses, according to CDC officials.
Will this new booster be effective against current covid variants?
Yes, it should be. More than 90% of currently circulating strains are closely related to the variant selected for the booster earlier this year, and studies have shown that the vaccines generate sufficient antibodies against most of these strains. The shots also produce a strong immune response against a divergent strain known as BA.2.86, which represents less than 1% of current cases. Experts consider this strain to be relatively insignificant.
Why do some doctors have reservations about the booster?
Experience with the covid vaccines has revealed that their protection against hospitalization and death lasts longer than their protection against illness, which diminishes relatively quickly. This has led to widespread skepticism. Most individuals in the U.S. have either contracted covid or received at least one dose of the vaccine, which is generally sufficient to prevent serious illness, although it may not prevent infection in all cases. Therefore, many doctors believe that the focus should be on vaccinating those who are truly at risk.
Considering the covid booster, flu, and RSV vaccines, how many shots should I expect this fall?
People tend to fall ill in the late fall due to spending more time indoors and engaging in travel and large family gatherings. This fall, there is a vaccine available for older adults against respiratory syncytial virus for the first time. Kathryn Edwards, a 75-year-old pediatrician at Vanderbilt University, plans to receive all three shots but prefers not to receive them all at once. Edwards acknowledges that covid can have a significant impact, and some of the RSV vaccines and the flu shot recommended for individuals aged 65 and older may cause mild side effects such as a sore arm or fever. Earlier data suggested a potential link between receiving the flu and covid shots together and an increased risk of stroke. However, further studies have since indicated that this association is not significant, but caution may still be warranted.
Pfizer and Moderna are conducting trials for combination vaccines, with the first flu-covid shot expected to be available as early as next year.
Has this booster been utilized in other parts of the world?
No, this specific booster version has not been used elsewhere. However, Pfizer’s shot has received approval in the European Union, Japan, and South Korea, while Moderna has been approved in Japan and Canada. Rollouts of the booster will commence in the United States and other countries this week.
In contrast to earlier stages of the pandemic, it is unlikely that mandates for the booster will be implemented. However, it is important for individuals to have access to the vaccine if they choose to receive it, according to panel member Beth Bell, a public health professor at the University of Washington. She emphasizes that while access is crucial, the messaging surrounding the booster needs to clarify that older individuals and those with underlying conditions are at significant risk and strongly encouraged to receive the booster.
ACIP member Sarah Long, a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, supported the universal recommendation for the booster but expressed concerns that it may not be sufficient. She anticipates that the recommendation will be made, but compliance may be low, particularly among those who need the booster the most.
©2023 Kaiser Health News. Visit khn.org. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(KFF Health News, formerly known as Kaiser Health News (KHN), is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs of KFF — the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism.)
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