The age 50 to 60 category, especially in those without health problems, right now is a gray zone. A second booster only provided a marginal benefit to those under 60. This comes from another Israeli study, just published a few weeks ago in NEJM, that looked at a fourth dose of the vaccine in health care workers during omicron. Why limit to people over 50?Ī fourth booster does not seem to create much of a benefit when it comes to more severe outcomes for those who are younger. In this case, a second booster is likely to provide added protection for these vulnerable groups. The coming BA.2 wave could mimic what happened with omicron, and older individuals and immunocompromised people will be hit hardest. The FDA is looking into the future at BA.2 and what other variants may emerge next. And for those over 80, the rate was almost 10 times as high. For those age 60 to 69, people with just one booster had a two-fold higher rate of death from COVID. After 15 days there was already a big difference in deaths and hospitalizations from COVID between the two groups. The study offered a second booster dose to people age 60 to 100 and then looked at mortality. The Israeli study of a second booster also factored into the decision, even though it is not fully published yet. And then there’s the understanding that those over 65 and those who are immunocompromised were hardest hit by delta and omicron. We know immunity starts to wane after four months or so, and we have a variant circulating that is more capable of breaking through our immunity. I think multiple factors went into the decision. What’s the rationale for authorizing a second booster?
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |