Within weeks, an updated COVID-19 vaccine could be available across the U.S., offering protection against a new variant of the coronavirus that sickens hundreds of thousands of Americans and kills every day Nearly 400 people died.
A new University of Michigan poll shows that 61% of people over 50 have Those who have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine are likely to roll up their sleeves this fall to get an updated booster shot.
The percentage could increase if healthy Polls show that care providers specifically recommend updated vaccine.
The virus is particularly deadly affecting people over 65, as well as black adults over 50 and low-income crowd. Across every group that has been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the past, 68% said they are likely to get a COVID-19 booster this fall, the poll found.
By contrast, among those 50 to 64 years old who were vaccinated against COVID-19, there were A much lower percentage (55%) said they were likely to get a fall booster.
In addition to those who said they were likely to get a fall booster, about one in five over 50s Adults (21%) who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the past say they are likely to get a booster shot this fall.
However, among some previously vaccinated older populations, a significant percentage said they would not get it at all Fall Boosters, which included 23 percent of adults ages 50 to 64, and 22 percent of white respondents over the age of 50.
Attitudes to fall boosters also vary based on current vaccination status. While 24% of vaccinated but unvaccinated seniors said they were likely to get a fall booster, 56% of those who received a single booster Among those who push pushers, the percentage was 88 percent. A second booster has been available to those over 50 since late March.
Polls were conducted in late July for national polls. Healthy Aging, at the UM Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation. The poll was supported by AARP and Michigan Medicine.
Variant – specific booster coming soon
Before the vote, vaccine maker Pfizer and Moderna reported favorable results from tests of an updated COVID vaccine, but the U.S. government has yet to formally announce its strategy to buy millions of doses and deliver them as early as September after federal agencies approve them and recommend them.
New vaccine formulation designed to help the body recognize and fight against Omicron BA.4 and BA. 5 forms of the virus.
More than 84% of Americans now live in areas where these variants cause COVID-19 Poll Director, also accepts With community levels reaching moderate or high levels and causing recurring infections, the reformulated booster isn’t coming to UM Medicine physicians anytime soon, said Preeti Malani, MD, a German-trained infectious disease physician.
“Since the end of 2020, our vaccines have saved countless lives and millions of people around the world from COVID-19 become less severe. We also know that in the era of Omicron mutation, those who received at least one booster dose did better than others,” she said. “But if we’re going to further reduce deaths, hospitalizations, serious illness and long-term effects, we need to get as many people as possible vaccinated with these new formulas.”
Importance of Provider Referrals
This is because the poll found that 77% of seniors say their provider is concerned about the COVID-19 vaccine Vaccinations are recommended for their decision to get vaccinated.
Percentage of said providers for those over 65 (56%) and black (79%), retired (56%) %) or those earning less than $30,000 (56%), recommend a very important status or income level compared to those of other racial and ethnic backgrounds, jobs.
With a new vaccine weeks away, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to recommend that people over 50 or over 12 and people who are at high risk for severe COVID-19 due to a medical condition, if they have not received the first or second booster dose of one of their existing vaccines.
New polls show that only 19% are between the ages of 50-64, while 44% are over the age of 65 and have received two boosters.
The poll also shows that 17% of people over 50 have not received any dose of the COVID-19 vaccine ; Malani noted that supplier advice on updated Pfizer and Moderna vaccines is also important to them.
Past COVID-19 Infections and Testing
With the surge in officially reported cases in recent weeks, there are More cases go unreported because results from home testing are not being tracked, and polls have some surprising findings on older adults’ illness and testing experiences.
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74% of people over 65 say they are very Likely to get a flu shot, compared with 46% of 50- to 64-year-olds.
- Another 13% of the young group and 6% of the older group said they were likely to get a flu shot.
Education level has a strong effect on the likelihood of getting a flu shot, with 70% of people with a college degree or higher saying they are likely to get a flu shot, compared to 70% of those with an earlier end of formal education 53% said they were likely to get a flu shot.
Three-quarters (75%) of people who said they were likely to get the flu vaccine also had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine -19 vaccine and say they are likely to get COVID-19b
Compared to 20% never vaccinated People who have been vaccinated against COVID say they may get a flu shot.
“We must not forget that the flu poses a threat to the elderly and medically more vulnerable adults, and is not related to COVID-19 The same precautions — vaccinations, masks, good ventilation, and keeping the sick away from others until symptoms clear up — work against the flu,” Malani said. “Although we avoided a ‘twindemic’ of both viruses once last winter, it’s unclear whether we’ll be so lucky again this winter. I encourage everyone to follow the CDC’s guidance on age and health for vaccination and prevention. Recommendation.”
National Poll on Healthy Aging based on national representation of 1,024 adults 50+ from the Foresight 50 Sexual Sample Response + Synthesis Panel from the Foresight 50+ panel at the University of Chicago AARP and NORC who answered a wide range of questions online and by phone in late July 2022. IHPI team.
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- ) Overall, 50% of 50- to 64-year-olds and 69% of People over 65 said they had never had COVID-19 by late July 2022.
at 50 to 64 In the age group, 29% said they had been infected with COVID-19, 9% said they had been infected more than once, and 12% said they probably had, but were not sure.
- Among those over 65, 24% of People said they had it once, 2% more than once, and 5% said they probably had it.
44% of seniors use at-home testing, which will be scarce until early 2022 and available for free through the federal government, health insurers and community locations. The highest percentages of people who had ever used a home test were 50 to 64 years old, those with higher income and education levels, and those who were employed.
Meanwhile, 57% of older adults had PCR testing, which is the basis for official reporting of COVID-19 incidence, but Thanks for the in-home test. The same groups that were more likely to use home testing were also more likely to have PCR tests.
But 28% of people over 65 and 22% of people 50 to 64 say they have never received COVID-19 testing. Those with a high school degree or less, and those earning less than $30,000, were most likely to say so.
Said they had been infected with COVID-19 at least once, and 21% said they had never been tested but had symptoms. Meanwhile, 53% of the group said they had a positive home test and 43% said they had a positive PCR test; respondents could say they tested positive on both tests.
Attitudes of fall boosters vary by COVID-19 history. Two-thirds (66%) of people who did not have COVID-19 at the time of the survey and had been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the past said they were likely to get a fall booster, as did 56% A person with COVID-19.
Meanwhile, 39% have been vaccinated against COVID-19 more than once and have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccines, he said they were unlikely to get a booster shot this fall.
Influenza Vaccination
Poll also asks seniors if they plan to get a flu shot this fall; flu shot this year The best time for a new COVID-19 booster is likely to coincide. Vaccine experts have suggested in the past that both vaccines could be given at the same time.
Two age-differentiated groups are striking:
