C.D.C. Urges Adults 50 and Older to Get Second Booster Shot
Source: New York Times
C.D.C. Urges Adults 50 and Older to Get Second Booster Shot
2 hours ago
Sharon LaFraniere
In a sign of growing concern among federal health officials about the spread of new coronavirus infections, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now saying that all people 50 or older should get a second booster shot if at least four months have passed since their first booster dose.
Previously, the agency said those 50 and older had the option of the additional shot, but only encouraged people over 65 or with underlying medical conditions to get it. The new guidance, issued in a statement on the C.D.C.s website on Thursday, also extends to anyone 12 and older with certain immune deficiencies.
The C.D.C. said it was changing its advice because of a steady rise in infections over the past month, coupled with a steep and substantial increase in hospitalizations for older Americans. New confirmed cases surpassed an average of 100,000 a day again this week, according to a New York Times database a number considered an undercount. And nationally, hospitalizations of people with Covid-19 were averaging more than 23,800 a day as of Thursday, 31 percent more than two weeks ago.
Most Americans 50 or older received their last dose of Covid vaccine more than six months ago. That has left many who are vulnerable without the protection they may need to prevent severe disease, hospitalization and death, the C.D.C. said.
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Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/20/us/politics/cdc-second-booster.html
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