The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met on Oct. 23 and 24 to approve several ACIP Recommendations summarized in this special edition of Got Your Shots? News. The recommendations will also be published on CDC: MMWR and reflected in the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and CDC resources in the coming months. The meeting agenda and webcast links are available on CDC: ACIP Meeting Information.

•All adults aged 65 years and older should receive a second dose of 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine.

•All people aged 6 months and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised should receive a second dose of 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine.

•Additional doses (i.e., three or more doses) of 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine are recommended as an option for people 6 months of age and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, based on CDC: ACIP Shared Clinical Decision-Making Recommendations.

The second dose is recommended 6 months (with a minimum interval of 2 months) after the first dose of 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine. This recommendation was based on the following evidence:

•Adults 75 years of age and older account for the highest number of hospitalizations related to COVID-19.

•Adults 65 years and older account for two out of three adult COVID-19-associated hospitalizations and four out of five COVID-19-associated in-hospital deaths. 

•People who are immunocompromised are extremely likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19. Vaccine effectiveness is generally lower in this group.

•Vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization and severe illness wanes considerably within 4-6 months of vaccination. An additional dose restores protection.

•COVID-19 virus circulates year-round. Administering COVID-19 vaccine doses every 6 months is likely to have the largest benefit in preventing hospitalizations among people 65 years of age and older and those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.

A person’s self-report of moderate or severe immunocompromise continues to be acceptable justification for vaccination and vaccine should not be withheld due to the absence of documentation.

Only 8.9% of adults 65 and older and 5.4% of adults who were 18 years and older received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine during the 2023-2024 season. Fewer than 5% of pregnant women received the 2023-24 COVID-19 vaccine. Encourage patients to receive a 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine.

For more information visit CDC: Clinical Guidance for COVID-19 Vaccination and CDC Newsroom: CDC Recommends Second Dose of 2024-2025 COVID-19 Vaccine for People 65 Years and Older and for People Who are Moderately or Severely Immunocompromised.