According to the CDC, everyone ages 6 months and older should roll up their sleeves and get the new COVID vaccinations this season. Additional doses are recommended for immunocompromised people to increase their protection and reduce the risk of hospitalization.
The term “immunocompromised” became more common as COVID-19 vaccinations began to roll out during the pandemic, and refers to people with weakened immune systems who have a harder time fighting infections and other diseases.
But who is considered immunocompromised?
According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, about 6.6% of American adults are immunocompromised. But according to Dr. Anu Sheshadri, the number is much higher.
“I see a lot of patients here who come in and say, ‘No, doctor, I need to get my immune system checked because I’ve been getting sick all year,'” says Dr. Sheshadri, an internist and pediatrician at UCLA Health.
In fact, getting sick often is the opposite of having a weak immune system. It may simply mean that you are exposed to germs more often than others.
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“It’s the fact that you get infected; there are more infections,” Sheshadri said. “Sharing is caring. When you have children and they go to daycare and school, you’re bound to get all the different viruses that are circulating, right?”
The other important point is that if you are often sick, you need to get through this period before you get sick again.
“Your immune system is strong enough to fight the virus, and then you are exposed to a new virus,” Dr. Seshardri said.
However, if a patient has difficulty getting rid of an infection without recovering, it may be a sign of a weakened immune system. However, immune deficiency is a diagnosis made by a doctor and is often associated with hereditary diseases, autoimmune diseases such as HIV/AIDS, cancer treatments, or transplants.
The bottom line is that recurrent infections do not automatically lead to immune deficiency.
How many doses of the COVID-19 vaccine do immunocompromised people need?
The CDC’s official recommendation for moderately or severely immunocompromised patients 6 months of age and older who are unvaccinated is to receive two or three doses of the updated COVID-19 vaccine of the same brand.
Moderately or severely immunocompromised patients who received COVID-19 vaccination before September 12, 2023 should receive one or two doses of the updated vaccine, depending on previous doses and age.
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Immunocompromised individuals may also receive additional doses of vaccine two or more months after the last recommended vaccination.
Click here to view the CDC’s full guidelines.
If you have any medical concerns, including regarding vaccine dosage, always discuss them with your doctor.
