The Federal Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday it will continue to approve COVID-19 vaccine updates for seniors and others at higher risk of severe disease, but those without underlying conditions may not have access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Todd Ellerin, who works at South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, said this is a big change in FDA guidance.
New guidelines for COVID vaccine
Prior to the new guidelines, it was recommended that everyone who is 6 months and older get at least one vaccine per year, with those in higher-0risk groups getting it twice a year.
“What the FDA is saying now is they’re still going to basically recommend the highest-risk groups getting the annual COVID vaccine – that would be 65 and older – and then essentially anyone under 65 that has high-risk group. So the good news is that over 100 million people in the United States will be recommended to get an annual COVID vaccine,” Dr. Ellerin said.
Ellerin said there’s now there is a large population of healthy younger people who may not have access to the vaccine next fall. He said the change in recommendation is not because of safety problems but because the FDA says more data is needed on how well the shots work.
“They want to see formal studying in the 50-to-64 age group – otherwise healthy – again to have what we call post-marketing randomized trials that should formally study it to make sure it’s still necessary,” Dr. Ellerin said.
Many say they have their boosters
In Massachusetts, folks are weighing in on the COVID-19 booster vaccine.
“I don’t really have a problem with it being offered to people at higher risk at the moment,” Emily Rodriguez, of Peabody, said. “I feel, you know, they should probably get priority.”
Tom Billoda, of Carlisle, received all his COVID-19 vaccines in the past. He said he doesn’t mind the changes.
“I think that’s probably right. I don’t even think it’s necessary for seniors right now. If you’re at high risk, yes, definitely take it,” Billoda said.
Dr. Ellerin said as federal recommendations change, it’s important for health officials to closely monitor and track data to see if there is a significant increase in hospitalizations and cases of long COVID in healthy people to determine whether the new recommendations could work.
