From Cleveland Clinic
Some older adults have yet to get their second COVID-19 booster, and that concerns local health officials and the CDC.
So, what’s causing the delay?
“Two main reasons: awareness and access. I think we have done a great job with the initial vaccine in terms of awareness with seniors and also access. That has changed with the booster,” says Ardeshir Hashmi, MD, section chief of geriatric medicine for Cleveland Clinic.
Dr. Hashmi says some older adults may wonder why they need to get a second booster if they already have one, plus the initial vaccine. He says people need to understand that the efficacy of the vaccine can wane over time, which is why another booster is necessary. In addition, older adults don’t have as strong of an immune system, and new variants of the virus continue to surface.
Dr. Hashmi says side effects from the second booster are similar to those of the first. In addition to the booster, he recommends vulnerable people wear a mask in public and social distance when possible.
“Same measure, just consistency of those measures, wearing your mask, hand washing. We have seen that with the rates of the common flu, influenza have dramatically went down, and a lot of it was because of these great public health safety practices that everyone was on board and doing, and I think that doesn’t stop here,” he adds.
Dr. Hashmi says accessibility may also be a challenge for some older adults if they don’t have access to the internet to schedule a second booster, or they don’t have someone to take them to the pharmacy to get it. He encourages loved ones help with that.
