CDC recommends another COVID booster for all over 65, but not everyone agrees

WORCESTER ― There appears to be a lack of consensus in the medical community when it comes to who should get an additional COVID-19 booster shot.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends anyone 65 and older should get an additional updated dose of the vaccine that became available in September to prevent infection and severe illness, if at least four months have passed since the last shot.

CDC Director Mandy Cohen approved the recommendation this week after it was supported by an 11-1 vote by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

Dr. Robert Klugman, internal medicine physician at UMass Memorial Health, doesn’t think everyone 65 and above needs a second shot. Those 85 and older, and those with weak immune systems, should get the booster because those groups face a greater risk of contracting COVID-19, said Klugman.

Only those younger than 65 who are immunocompromised or suffer with chronic medical conditions need the booster, he said.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization recommends revaccination six to 12 months after the most recent dose for adults over 75; those over 50 with more than one disease or condition at the same time; and adults, adolescents and children with weak immune systems.

The CDC noted most deaths and hospitalizations last year due to COVID-19 were in the 65-and-over category, and believes a second booster gives additional protection against the virus.

What is happening with COVID-19 rates in Massachusetts?

Confirmed COVID-19 cases are dropping in Massachusetts, from nearly 7,000 in the first week of January to 2,485 in mid-February. Deaths also declined, from 59 in the last week of December to 37 the week of Feb. 4.

JN.1 has been the dominant COVID variant since Christmas and it’s more contagious than its predecessors, said Klugman. Currently, 20 “very sick” COVID patients are being cared for at UMass Memorial, said Klugman, and that number is holding steady at the hospital.

“COVID is no joke,” said Klugman. “It leaves people with permanent brain and other organ damage.”

Worcester/Worcester County: Low vaccination rate

The latest single-shot booster became available in September and replaced several shots for protection against the original COVID-19 strain and the omicron variant.

In Worcester, 13% of the population is up to date on all COVID shots including the booster. The percentage is 17.1% in Worcester County and 21.7% statewide, according to the state Department of Public Health.

Nationally, it’s 17%.

Klugman believes the reasons for the low percentages include misinformation circulating about the effectiveness of COVID vaccines, general mistrust about vaccination and the public’s fatigue about what appears to be a never-ending cycle of COVID-19 news and developments.

But Klugman pointed out the public must take the virus seriously because hospitalizations continue — 19,000 nationwide based on the latest CDC numbers, a 5.7% decline compared to the previous week. Deaths are down 11% nationally.

COVID: 'Always going to be with us'

Plus, COVID isn’t seasonal like the flu, said Klugman, and it's "always going to be with us." Hospitalizations and deaths are dropping, said Klugman, and warm weather is coming when indoor gatherings drop off that should lighten the number of infections.

But don’t get complacent, Klugman warned, because the virus can result in severe health outcomes.

"People get sick, and say, ‘I wish I had gotten the shot.’ It’s too late," said Klugman. "Brain damage and cardiac damage is a tragedy. The virus will leave millions with permanent impairment for years to come and we’ll be paying for that.”

Contact Henry Schwan at henry.schwan@telegram.com. Follow him on X: @henrytelegram.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: CDC recommends another COVID booster for all over 65; not all agree