Pneumonia, COVID vaccine steerage adjustments for older adults
It began with a cough that wouldn’t go away.
Earlier than she knew it, Karyne Jones was hospitalized with pneumonia in January 2018. Even after the micro organism cleared her physique, it took her three months to recuperate from the signs.
At 63, she wasn’t eligible to obtain the vaccine that might have protected her towards pneumococcal pneumonia.
“I dodged a bullet, however that’s solely as a result of I used to be comparatively wholesome,” stated Jones, now 70. “I take into consideration the individuals who aren’t and the way that might actually compromise their system.”
This age barrier could change quickly. On Wednesday, a panel with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention voted to decrease the really helpful age for older adults to get their first pneumococcal vaccine.
Panel members additionally voted to suggest an extra COVID-19 vaccine for folks 65 and older. Right here’s what older adults ought to know concerning the adjustments to the CDC panel’s suggestions.
Pneumococcal vaccine for middle-aged sufferers
On Wednesday, members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to decrease the really helpful age for the pneumococcal vaccine from 65 to 50 and older.
The vaccine, which older adults want solely as soon as, protects towards pneumococcus micro organism, the main reason for pneumonia in older adults, stated Dr. Jiansheng Zhao, an inner drugs physician within the SOMOS Group Care community.
Pneumococcal pneumonia kills about 1 in 20 older adults contaminated with the micro organism, in line with the CDC.
Roughly 100 recognized strains of pneumococcus micro organism may trigger ear infections, meningitis and different infections. The newest vaccine can defend towards 20 of essentially the most severe strains.
Reducing the really helpful age for the vaccine will increase eligibility to folks beneath 65 with well being circumstances that make them extra more likely to develop extreme illness from the micro organism. Information from Wednesday’s assembly confirmed about 90% of individuals between 50 and 64 have no less than one situation that places them in danger.
The American Lung Affiliation says adults who’ve persistent obstructive pulmonary illness, or COPD, bronchial asthma, diabetes or persistent coronary heart illness face a larger danger for pneumococcal pneumonia.
Increasing eligibility may even assist deal with well being disparities since racial and ethnic minorities are extra possible than their white friends to have these persistent circumstances, stated Jones, who was hospitalized with the illness in 2018 and is president and CEO of the Nationwide Caucus and Middle on Black Ageing.
Entry to the vaccine is “actually necessary,” she stated, “due to the danger elements we have now in our group.”
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Get one other COVID-19 vaccine, even in case you obtained one this fall
ACIP members additionally voted to suggest adults 65 and older get a second dose of the up to date COVID-19 vaccine this fall. Eligible sufferers ought to ask their supplier the most effective time to take an extra dose.
Well being specialists say older adults usually tend to expertise the worst penalties of the virus: They’re extra more likely to develop extra extreme instances, be hospitalized and die.
Two-thirds of grownup hospitalizations for COVID-19 occurred in folks 65 and older, in line with information introduced on the assembly Wednesday. Specialists hope an extra dose of vaccine will defend older adults towards these outcomes.
Emergency division visits, deaths and COVID-19 instances have steadily declined since they peaked for 2024 in August, in line with CDC information. Nonetheless, well being specialists count on this development will not final lengthy as soon as folks start to journey for the vacations and colder temperatures drive them to collect indoors, rising the danger of virus transmission.
The CDC reported that KP.3.1.1 was the dominant COVID-19 variant circulating the U.S., accounting for greater than 57% of all instances. The second most prevalent variant is XEC, which accounts for practically 11% of instances.
RSV vaccine suggestions unchanged
ACIP members didn’t evaluate the RSV vaccine, however well being specialists say it’s necessary for older People to get the shot in the event that they haven’t finished so already.
That is the second yr that healthcare suppliers are providing vaccines to guard adults towards RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, nevertheless, solely 29% of eligible sufferers have gotten the vaccine, in line with the CDC.
Specialists say vaccine fatigue – when folks tire of going for a number of vaccines yearly – could partly clarify low uptake. Jones stated the RSV vaccine can be comparatively novel and older adults could not know they’re eligible.
“Two years in the past, they weren’t even speaking about RSV and now it’s there,” she stated.
A research revealed final week suggests the vaccine protects older adults from the worst penalties of the sickness. Researchers discovered the vaccine to be 80% efficient towards hospitalizations in folks 60 and older, in line with the report revealed final week in The Lancet.
The RSV vaccine is really helpful for all adults 75 and older and adults 60 to 74 who’ve an elevated danger for extreme illness.
The pictures aren’t wanted yearly. Federal regulators suggest a single dose of RSV vaccine, so in case you have been vaccinated final yr, you will not want one other dose this yr. Officers have stated they’ll reevaluate if extra doses can be wanted.
RSV is the main reason for hospitalizations amongst newborns and youthful kids, nevertheless it additionally strikes later in life, inflicting greater than 177,000 hospitalizations and 14,000 deaths amongst older adults yearly.
Jones stated organizations just like the Nationwide Caucus and Middle on Black Ageing are working exhausting to share correct details about availability and promote community-wide entry.
“We’re engaged on attempting to get folks to be extra preventative with their healthcare as a substitute of ready for an issue,” she stated. “That’s what vaccines do.”
Contributing: Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY.
Adrianna Rodriguez could be reached at adrodriguez@usatoday.com.
