Very few US adults getting new flu, COVID, RSV vaccines, even in nursing homes

A pair of recent 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 properties, 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 dwelling 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 researchinvestigators from the CDC analyzed information 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 group additionally interviewed unvaccinated contributors about their intent to obtain the vaccines.

By November 9, 34.7% of adults reported having acquired a flu vaccine dose, and 17.9% had acquired 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 acquired an RSV vaccine.

Uptake assorted by jurisdiction and demographic traits and was lowest amongst youthful adults and people with no medical health insurance.

Well being care suppliers and immunization applications nonetheless have time to broaden 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 in all probability would obtain or have been not sure about receiving the flu vaccine, and 41% stated the identical in regards to the COVID-19 vaccine, which means they hadn’t dominated out vaccination. Forty p.c of adults aged 75 years and older reported that they undoubtedly or in all probability would obtain or have been not sure about receiving the RSV vaccine.

The proportion of respondents who stated that they in all probability 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 larger than through the corresponding interval in 2023-24 (34.7% vs 33.8%) and three.7 proportion factors larger (58.6% versus 54.9%) in these aged 65 and older.

Equally, COVID-19 vaccine uptake was 4.7 proportion factors larger this season (17.9%) than within the 2023-24 season (13.2%) and 13.7 proportion factors larger (38.5% versus 24.8%) in these aged 65 and older.

RSV vaccine protection rose from the tip 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 applications nonetheless have time to broaden outreach actions and promote vaccination to extend protection in preparation for the peak of the respiratory virus season,” the research authors wrote. “Utilizing these information will help well being care suppliers and immunization applications establish undervaccinated populations and perceive vaccination patterns to information planning, implementation, and analysis of vaccination actions.”

Very low COVID vaccine uptake in nursing properties

For the second researchCDC researchers and their colleagues used the identical survey to guage vaccine uptake in nursing dwelling residents.

As of November 10, 29.7% of nursing dwelling residents had acquired an up to date COVID-19 vaccine dose. Of these residing at nursing properties that opted to report vaccinations in opposition to flu (59.4%) and RSV (51.8%), 58.4% had acquired 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 massive amenities (28.0%).

Extra must be accomplished at each stage to guard nursing dwelling 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 massive 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 huge amenities (15.9%).

Compared, by November 12, 2023, 24.0% of nursing dwelling residents had acquired a COVID-19 vaccine, 68.3% had been vaccinated in opposition to flu, and 6.7% had acquired an RSV vaccine dose.

“Throughout each the 2023–24 respiratory virus season and the 2024–25 season thus far, protection with all three vaccines was highest in small nursing properties and in nursing properties in North Dakota and South Dakota, suggesting that workers members in small amenities may be higher in a position to construct belief with residents and households and mitigate boundaries to vaccination and that efforts by states to develop robust relationships amongst stakeholders are efficient,” the researchers wrote.

“Though CDC and different federal businesses have applications in place to deal with each the monetary and vaccine hesitancy–associated boundaries to vaccination in nursing properties, extra must be accomplished at each stage to guard nursing dwelling residents, who represent one of many inhabitants teams at highest threat for extreme respiratory illness,” they concluded.