A pair of latest research in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report spotlight low influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine protection in US adults, together with these in nursing houses, this fall.
The US Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that everybody aged 6 months and older obtain an up to date COVID-19 vaccine and an annual flu vaccine. It additionally recommends that every one nursing house residents aged 60 years and older obtain a single lifetime dose of RSV vaccine.
35% and 18% vaccinated in opposition to flu, COVID
For the primary research, investigators from the CDC analyzed knowledge from the Nationwide Immunization Survey-Grownup COVID Module, a random cellphone survey that tracks flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccination uptake in US adults as of early November. The workforce additionally interviewed unvaccinated members about their intent to obtain the vaccines.
By November 9, 34.7% of adults reported having obtained a flu vaccine dose, and 17.9% had obtained an up to date COVID-19 vaccine for the 2024-25 respiratory virus season. A complete of 39.7% of adults aged 75 years and older and 31.6% of these aged 60 to 74 at excessive threat for extreme RSV had ever obtained an RSV vaccine.Â
Uptake diverse by jurisdiction and demographic traits and was lowest amongst youthful adults and people with no medical health insurance.Â
Well being care suppliers and immunization packages nonetheless have time to increase outreach actions and promote vaccination to extend protection in preparation for the peak of the respiratory virus season.
Regardless of low vaccine protection, 35% of adults stated that they undoubtedly or most likely would obtain or have been uncertain about receiving the flu vaccine, and 41% stated the identical concerning the COVID-19 vaccine, that means they hadn’t dominated out vaccination. Forty % of adults aged 75 years and older reported that they undoubtedly or most likely would obtain or have been uncertain about receiving the RSV vaccine.Â
The proportion of respondents who stated that they most likely or undoubtedly would not be vaccinated was highest for COVID-19 (41.6%) and lowest for RSV (20.3% amongst these aged 75 years and older and 14.8% amongst these aged 60 to 74).
Compared, flu vaccine protection for the present season was 0.9 proportion factors increased than throughout the corresponding interval in 2023-24 (34.7% vs 33.8%) and three.7 proportion factors increased (58.6% versus 54.9%) in these aged 65 and older.
Equally, COVID-19 vaccine uptake was 4.7 proportion factors increased this season (17.9%) than within the 2023-24 season (13.2%) and 13.7 proportion factors increased (38.5% versus 24.8%) in these aged 65 and older.
RSV vaccine protection rose from the top of June 2024, when ACIP first really helpful that older adults obtain a single-dose RSV vaccine, to November 9. Amongst adults aged 75 years and older, uptake climbed 9.6 proportion factors (from 30.1% to 39.7%) and amongst these aged 60 to 74 years, elevated 8.7 proportion factors (from 22.9% to 31.6%).
“Well being care suppliers and immunization packages nonetheless have time to increase outreach actions and promote vaccination to extend protection in preparation for the peak of the respiratory virus season,” the research authors wrote. “Utilizing these knowledge might help well being care suppliers and immunization packages determine undervaccinated populations and perceive vaccination patterns to information planning, implementation, and analysis of vaccination actions.”
Very low COVID vaccine uptake in nursing houses
For the second research, CDC researchers and their colleagues used the identical survey to guage vaccine uptake in nursing house residents.
As of November 10, 29.7% of nursing house residents had obtained an up to date COVID-19 vaccine dose. Of these dwelling at nursing houses that opted to report vaccinations in opposition to flu (59.4%) and RSV (51.8%), 58.4% had obtained a flu vaccine dose, and 17.9% have been vaccinated in opposition to RSV.
COVID-19 vaccine protection ranged from 19.8% in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas to 38.6% in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. COVID-19 vaccine uptake was highest within the least socially susceptible counties (33.6%) and in small amenities (34.7%) and lowest in giant amenities (28.0%).
Extra must be completed at each degree to guard nursing house residents, who represent one of many inhabitants teams at highest threat for extreme respiratory illness.
Flu vaccine uptake ranged from 50.9% in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington state to 64.1% in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Flu vaccine protection was highest within the least socially susceptible counties (60.8%) and in small amenities (62.9%) and was lowest in giant amenities (56.7%).
RSV vaccine protection ranged from 9.3% in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas to 29.2% in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. RSV vaccine uptake was highest within the least socially susceptible counties (21.3%) and in small amenities (24.1%) and lowest in essentially the most socially susceptible counties (15.3%) and enormous amenities (15.9%).
Compared, by November 12, 2023, 24.0% of nursing house residents had obtained a COVID-19 vaccine, 68.3% had been vaccinated in opposition to flu, and 6.7% had obtained an RSV vaccine dose.
“Throughout each the 2023–24 respiratory virus season and the 2024–25 season to this point, protection with all three vaccines was highest in small nursing houses and in nursing houses in North Dakota and South Dakota, suggesting that employees members in small amenities may be higher capable of construct belief with residents and households and mitigate limitations to vaccination and that efforts by states to develop sturdy relationships amongst stakeholders are efficient,” the researchers wrote.
“Though CDC and different federal businesses have packages in place to deal with each the monetary and vaccine hesitancy–associated limitations to vaccination in nursing houses, extra must be completed at each degree to guard nursing house residents, who represent one of many inhabitants teams at highest threat for extreme respiratory illness,” they concluded.
