New Research Supports an Annual COVID Vaccine Plan

There have been a lot of changes in recommendations around COVID-19 vaccines over the past few years, making it difficult to know whether you need another shot and how often you should get one. Now, new research from the Yale School of Public Health has recommendations for a vaccine cadence moving forward.

The study, which was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, used computer simulations to compare five annual vaccination strategies and predict outcomes. The researchers discovered that getting an annual COVID vaccine with a second dose for adults over 50 and children under 2 was linked to fewer hospitalizations, fewer deaths, and less healthcare spending each year.

This isn’t revolutionary: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) already proposed similar interim guidelines, although they’re slightly different. But it backs up existing recommendations around COVID vaccines.

Is an Annual COVID Shot Realistic?

While the COVID vaccine was relatively popular when it first rolled out, many people haven’t gotten the most recent 2023-2024 updated version. Current data show that less than 23% of the adult population in the U.S. has gotten the updated vaccine. The numbers are even lower in children; less than 14% of children aged 6 months to 17 years have received the updated vaccine.  

Current recommendations from the CDC say that people 65 and up should receive an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, but the new Yale study suggests it would be more effective if people did this starting at age 50.

Given how few people have gotten the updated vaccine to begin with, do doctors actually think the public will embrace this?

“This sounds familiar and it rather mirrors what, by and large, is happening to date,” William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, told Verywell. While older people have been the most likely to follow recommendations around COVID vaccines, Schaffner said it’s been tricky to get parents on board.

“The vast majority of parents have not taken their child in to be vaccinated with even their first dose,” he said. “Pediatricians are going to have to do a lot of friendly persuasion to get that group vaccinated. Parents just do not see the current Omicron variants distinctly impacting children.”

If a new concerning COVID-19 variant emerges, though, recommendations could change, Schaffner said.

What About People Who Are Immunocompromised?

The study didn’t address the ideal vaccine cadence for people who are immunocompromised. If you have a condition that causes you to be immunocompromised, it’s important to consult your doctor, said infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, MD, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

“Immunocompromised individuals may have to have individualized vaccination schedules dependent upon their net state of immunosuppression,” Adalja told Verywell. He noted that the word ‘immunosuppression’ is used very generally, “but it is a phenomenon that has degrees.”

The CDC has COVID vaccine recommendations for immunocompromised people, but it’s very specific to age, type of vaccine, and current level of vaccination.

“The standing recommendation is that these individuals can get repeated doses if they are moderately or severely immunocompromised and at least two months have passed since their last dose,” Schaffner said.

How Doctors Can Increase Vaccination Rates

Doctors suggest coupling your COVID vaccine with your flu shot. The convenience of a combined appointment increases the odds people will get both vaccines.

“The annual rate of people getting the flu shot is about 50% of the population, but that’s better than it is for the COVID vaccine,” Timothy Murphy, MD, senior associate dean for clinical and translational research at the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, told Verywell. “Pairing the COVID vaccine with the flu vaccine might increase the likelihood of people getting it.”

Schaffner agrees.

“We have to promote this as a circumstance where in the fall, you roll up both your sleeves,” he said. While it’s not available yet, a combination flu and COVID-19 vaccine would likely increase use of both vaccines even more. “It would also make life easier,” Schaffner said.

The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit our coronavirus news page.