COVID vaccine recommendations: CDC suggests seniors get second dose of updated vaccine

Jana Hayes, The Oklahoman

Senior adults can now receive a second dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine, according to a CDC recommendation.

The recommendation first came from the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’, which said adults 65 years and older should be able to receive an additional updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine dose, as long as it has been at least four months since their last shot or three months since a COVID-19 infection.

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"Most COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations last year were among people 65 years and older," CDC Director Mandy Cohen said. "An additional vaccine dose can provide added protection that may have decreased over time for those at highest risk."

Long-term care facility resident Frances Watland receives the first COVID-19 vaccination for Oklahoma nursing home residents and staff on Dec. 22, 2020.
Long-term care facility resident Frances Watland receives the first COVID-19 vaccination for Oklahoma nursing home residents and staff on Dec. 22, 2020.

Current CDC COVID vaccine recommendations

The CDC recommends receiving an updated COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or Novavax in order to protect against serious illness from COVID-19.

Here are the CDC recommendations based on age:

  • Everyone aged 5 years and older should get one dose of an updated COVID-19 vaccine

  • Children aged 6 months to 4 years need multiple doses of COVID-19 vaccines to be up to date, including at least one dose of updated COVID-19 vaccine

  • People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, as well as senior adults, may get additional doses of an updated COVID-19 vaccine

More: Oklahoma tops 20,000 COVID-19 deaths, 2nd highest death rate in the nation

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: CDC COVID vaccine recommendations: Seniors should add spring booster

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