COVID-19 Under-Vaccinated Often Confused

According to an Original Investigation published in the JAMA Network Open on January 20, 2023, about 41% of adults with impaired immune systems had received a 4th mRNA vaccine dose.

And less than 1% had received the recommended five doses as of August 2022.

'Our results highlight a substantial gap in adherence to CDC recommendations for mRNA monovalent COVID-19 booster doses,' wrote these researchers.

Certain types of immunocompromising conditions reported a higher probability of 4th-dose receipt, including organ transplant, congenital immunodeficiency, HIV/AIDS, and chemotherapy.

The study authors wrote that many Americans were confused about vaccination recommendations because COVID-19 vaccination guidelines often changed during the pandemic.

"Given the increased risk for severe COVID-19 in this vulnerable population and the well-established additional protection afforded by booster doses, targeted and tailored efforts to ensure that immunocompromised individuals remain up to date with COVID-19 booster dose recommendations are warranted," the researchers wrote.

This study was sponsored by Pfizer, a company producing mRNA vaccines. Corresponding Author: Sara Y. Tartof, Ph.D., MPH, Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California (sara.y.tartof@kp.org).