Top 5 Takeaways
- New Vaccination Recommendation: As of February 28, 2024, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends an additional dose of the updated (2023–2024 Formula) COVID-19 vaccine for all adults aged ≥65 to enhance immunity and mitigate severe COVID-19 outcomes.
- Targeted Age Group: The focus remains on adults aged ≥65, a demographic that constitutes 67% of all COVID-19-associated hospitalizations from October 2023 to January 2024, underscoring their vulnerability to severe outcomes.
- Vaccine Options and Administration: Eligible individuals can receive an additional dose of any updated vaccine, including those from Moderna, Novavax, or Pfizer-BioNTech, to be administered ≥4 months after their previous dose.
- Immunogenicity and Safety: While no new clinical trials were conducted for this additional dose, previous data suggest robust protection from earlier vaccine formulations, with safety surveillance showing favorable profiles for the updated vaccines.
- Public Health Implications: Implementing this recommendation aims to boost waning immunity in older adults, thereby reducing hospitalization and death rates amid ongoing SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
Original Article Author and Citation
Corresponding Author
- Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos, MD, Email: media@cdc.gov
Suggested Citation
- Panagiotakopoulos L, Godfrey M, Moulia DL, et al. Use of an Additional Updated 2023–2024 COVID-19 Vaccine Dose for Adults Aged ≥65 Years: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — United States, 2024. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2024;73:377–381. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7316a4.
Summary
This report highlights the continued importance of COVID-19 vaccination among older adults, emphasizing an additional dose to address waning immunity and the persistent threat posed by new variants.
Methods
The ACIP used the Evidence to Recommendations framework to assess the necessity of an additional vaccine dose for adults aged ≥65 years, considering disease epidemiology, vaccine coverage, and the balance of safety and effectiveness.
Discussion
The decision to recommend an additional dose for older adults is grounded in their high risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes and the reduced immune response associated with age, as well as ongoing virus circulation.
Conclusion
Upholding high vaccination coverage in older populations is critical for reducing the health burden of COVID-19, especially as immunity wanes and new variants emerge.
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