More than half of U.S. states report "very high" levels of COVID-19 activity, experts offer advice: How to effectively vaccinate
2024-08-14
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According to the latest data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than half of the states in the United States have reported "very high" levels of COVID-19 activity. Currently, at least 27 states have reported "very high" levels of virus activity, and 17 states have reported "high" levels of virus activity. Currently, the level of COVID-19 activity in the United States is close to that of the winter months.
▲Currently, more than half of the states in the United States have reported "very high" levels of new crown activity
Other relevant COVID-19 surveillance systems, such as emergency department visits and test positivity rates, are also reportedly on the rise. Meanwhile, the death rate from the virus has remained relatively flat compared to previous years.
Currently, experts are discussing when it is best to get a booster shot for different groups of people. It is reported that the updated version of the vaccine for the new variant is expected to be launched in the fall of this year. Experts say that the best time for the next vaccination depends on the individual's health status and the effect they hope to get from the vaccine.
Best protection against major variants - waiting for new vaccines
If you want the best protection against major variants, doctors recommend that most people wait for newer versions of the vaccines, which have been recalibrated to better protect against the currently dominant virus strains. The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older get the newer versions when they become available.
The upcoming vaccine from biotech company Novavax will target the JN.1 variant, which accounted for most cases in the U.S. last winter. The vaccines to be launched by Pfizer and Moderna in the fall will target the KP.2 variant of the coronavirus, a new variant that began to spread this summer and originated from JN.1. The variants that are currently causing most cases in the U.S. are KP.3 and KP.3.1.1, which are closely related to KP.2 and JN.1.
▲Experts suggest that if possible, it is best to get the vaccine that is closest to the current prevalent variant
In contrast, the vaccines currently available in the United States target early variants of Omicron, which gradually disappeared when JN.1 began to circulate last winter, but this does not mean that the current vaccines are ineffective. However, Dr. Nathan Luo, an assistant professor of infectious diseases at Stanford University, said that if possible, it is best to get the vaccine that is closest to the currently circulating variant.
People at high risk of severe illness—don’t wait until autumn to get vaccinated
A CDC spokesperson said certain people at higher risk for severe illness may be able to get a shot in the summer before the updated vaccine is available, including those 65 and older, pregnant women, people with compromised immune systems or certain underlying medical conditions, or those living in long-term care facilities.
Those who have never received a COVID-19 vaccine may benefit from getting one now rather than waiting until the fall, but because of the time between doses, getting vaccinated now may mean not being able to get an updated version of the vaccine as it becomes available.
People who have recently been infected with COVID-19 – no need to be vaccinated immediately
Aubrey Gordon, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the University of Michigan, said that if you get vaccinated immediately after infection or the last vaccination, it may not bring much additional benefit to people. Previously, the CDC stated that if you have recently been infected with the new coronavirus, you can wait three months to get vaccinated.
Because the coronavirus variants circulating in the U.S. this summer are closely related to each other, recent infections may provide considerable protection against the dominant strain currently circulating.
Avoid infecting people before important events - you can get vaccinated immediately
Peter, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, said he often receives inquiries from patients who have weddings or summer travel plans and want to know whether vaccination can reduce their risk of contracting COVID-19. He said it may take some time for currently available vaccines to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 (it takes one to two weeks for antibodies to begin to increase).
In addition, the vaccine can continue to protect against severe illness, hospitalization, death, and long-term COVID-19 for several months after vaccination. CDC data show that people who received the updated vaccine after it was launched last year had a 54% lower chance of contracting COVID-19 between mid-September 2023 and January 2024.
Peter said that even if you get vaccinated now, you may still need to get an updated version of the vaccine in a few months. He said that whether you get vaccinated now or not, as we go into winter and cases are expected to increase further, there will definitely be a need for extra protection.
Red Star News reporter Fan Xu and intern Wei Yi
Editor: Guo Yu, Editor-in-Chief: Deng Feiguang
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