123 – Update: COVID Vaccination in Aging (10.28.21 Edition)

 In This Episode:

This video update covers COVID boosters, recent research on the efficacy of COVID vaccination in older adults over the last six months, why we are seeing breakthrough infections, and more. I also cover my recommendations for how aging adults and their families can be safer during the holidays, and using rapid antigen tests.

(View the show notes page to watch my subtitled talk and my slides.)

This episode includes:

• The current COVID situation in US
• What recent research shows, when it comes to how well the vaccines work over time and in older age groups
• What to know about COVID boosters and who should get them
• How to stay safe during the holidays
• What to know about rapid antigen tests
• My latest recommendations for older adult & families

Related Episodes:

122 – Update: COVID Vaccination in Aging (9.9.21 Edition)

Related Resources:

• BHWA:
  • COVID Vaccination for Aging Adults: What to Know & Do
• CDC:
  • CDC COVID Data Tracker (to check your local transmission rates)
  • CDC: When You’ve Been Fully Vaccinated
  • Nursing Home Covid-19 Data Dashboard
  • Rates of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths by Vaccination Status
  • CDC: Comparative Effectiveness of Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) Vaccines in Preventing COVID-19 Hospitalizations Among Adults Without Immunocompromising Conditions — United States, March–August 2021 (Published Sept 2021)
  • COVID-19 Vaccines for Moderately to Severely Immunocompromised People (CDC)
  • Effectiveness of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Vaccines in Preventing SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Nursing Home Residents Before and During Widespread Circulation of the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 (Delta) Variant — National Healthcare Safety Network, March 1–August 1, 2021
• From medical journals:
  • Heterologous SARS-CoV-2 Booster Vaccinations – Preliminary Report
  • The accuracy of novel antigen rapid diagnostics for SARS-CoV-2: a living systematic review and meta-analysis
  • COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness by Product and Timing in New York State (pre-print posted Oct 9, 2021)
  • Effectiveness of mRNA BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine up to 6 months in a large integrated health system in the USA: a retrospective cohort study (Lancet, Oct 2021, about the Pfizer vaccine)
• From news and other media:
  • For COVID-19, age matters as much as vaccination status (9/27/21)
  • Who Had Covid-19 Vaccine Breakthrough Cases? (10/28/21)
  • C.D.C. Recommends Covid Booster Shots for Millions of Americans (10/21/21)
  • If You’ve Had Covid, Do You Need the Vaccine? (10/12/21) (about hybrid immunity)
  • NY Times: COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker 
  • NY Times: Coronavirus Variant Tracker