Should older adults get another COVID-19 shot? Health advisors say yes.

If you're 65 or older, a panel of national health experts has a new message for you: get another updated COVID-19 shot. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is now formally recommending that everyone in this age group receive one additional dose of the 2023-2024 formula vaccine. This is a policy recommendation, not a report on new research findings about the vaccine's effectiveness or safety in this group. The committee makes these calls by reviewing existing evidence to guide public health practice. Their advice means doctors and pharmacies across the United States will be encouraged to offer this extra dose to older adults. We don't have details from this announcement about how common side effects might be or exactly how much more protection the extra dose provides, as those specifics weren't part of this recommendation statement. The move highlights that health officials see continued value in protecting older adults, who are often at higher risk from COVID-19.