Health officers concerned over low demand for COVID booster shots

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) - There's growing concern that fewer people are coming forward for COVID booster shots than expected. 

A Los Angeles Times report says that fewer Californians are going back for an additional dose. 

It's particularly a concern for groups including the elderly or people with weakened immune systems.

This low rate of uptake is especially alarming for doctors as we get closer to the holidays. 

There have been warnings about vaccine immunity waning after 6 months. 

Seniors and the immuno-compromised were the first to get the shots nearly a year ago and without a booster, those groups are at risk of potentially getting severely ill. 

Numbers from the California Department of Public Health show fewer people than expected are getting COVID-19 booster shots. 

The surprisingly slow demand is alarming for health officials.

“I'm really disappointed that people are not availing themselves of something that's going to offer them further protection,” Dr. John Swartzberg said.

Dr. John Swartzberg with UC Berkeley's School of public health is particularly concerned for the elderly and immuno-compromised. 

Those groups, who are likely more than 6 months removed from their first doses of the vaccine-are not as protected as they could be.  

Those groups are also at the highest risk of getting severely ill or dying from breakthrough infections. 

The Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are quickly approaching which presents another set of worries as people will gather with their families.

“Every Bay Area county today is showing an increase in cases averaged over the last two weeks. So we're going in the wrong direction and this is even before the holidays,” Dr. Swartzberg said.

Seniors are being urged by public health officials to get their boosters as soon as possible. 

An LA Times report shows just 20% of San Francisco's eligible seniors have received an additional dose. 

Health experts warn the time is now to get a booster to avoid the risk of exposure.

“We need to make sure that people who are at high risk for getting a serious breakthrough infection, hospitalized, get yourself maximum protection going into this really pretty dangerous period," Dr. Swartzberg said.

Just to underscore how important that third shot is for immuno-compromised individuals, the CDC has already come out and said that group could eventually need a fourth shot.

from KRON4 https://ift.tt/3BLlOoR