Although receiving a flu shot is a necessary preventative measure for winter health, it might not be enough to ensure complete protection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently highlighted major revisions to their vaccine recommendations when they released their 2024 list of advised adult vaccines. Four additional vaccines are included in the most recent guidelines.
With rising rates of respiratory illnesses, hospitalizations, and fatalities, health experts stress the importance of staying informed and adhering to the CDC's latest directives.
"This year's schedule is particularly important because many adults are not up-to-date on recommended vaccines," the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) stated in a press release.
Continue reading to find out more about the four new vaccines recommended by the CDC for 2024.
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The CDC has once again issued recommendations for COVID vaccinations this year. As per the latest update from the ACIP, the bivalent mRNA COVID vaccines administered during the 2022–2023 period are no longer recommended. All adults should instead receive at least one dose of the updated COVID vaccine featuring the new formula for 2023–2024. These new monovalent shots are designed to target the Omicron variant XBB.1.5, according to the CDC.
"The updated COVID-19 vaccines are meant to broaden vaccine-induced immunity and provide protection against the currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 XBB-sublineage variants, including against severe COVID-19-associated illness and death," the agency explained.
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In a new development, CDC advisors are urging adults to receive routine mpox (or monkeypox) vaccinations. The agency has announced that those who fall into specific risk categories must receive two injections of the Jynneos mpox vaccine. Detailed information outlining risk factors for mpox infection is available on the CDC's official site.
Mpox is a rare viral disease from the same family as smallpox. It was identified in laboratory monkeys in 1958, thus the name, but it can also infect humans. The virus typically spreads to people through contact with infected animals, primarily rodents and primates, or through the intake of contaminated bushmeat. Monkeypox causes symptoms similar to smallpox, such as fever, headache, muscle aches, and a distinct rash that progresses from macules to papules to eventually pustules. While monkeypox is often less severe than smallpox and has a lower mortality rate, it can still cause serious complications in some cases.
Pfizer's recently approved respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, Abrysvo, has been added to the 2024 vaccine list. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted it approval last year, prompting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to recommend it for two specific groups: pregnant women between 32 and 36 weeks gestation from September to January and people 60 years of age and older.
RSV is a common viral infection that affects the respiratory tract, primarily in young children and elderly adults. It usually causes moderate cold-like symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and fever. However, in newborns and older adults with compromised immune systems, RSV can cause more serious respiratory issues, such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia. RSV spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and it can also live on surfaces for several hours.
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The CDC's 2024 list of recommended immunizations now includes a novel meningitis vaccine. Pfizer's Penbraya, approved by the FDA in October, safeguards against the five predominant strains of meningococcal disease.'
Any disease associated with meningococcal bacteria is referred to as meningococcal disease. Many of these diseases are severe and deadly and include infections of the lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) as well as infections of the bloodstream.
"Adults may receive a single dose of Penbraya as an alternative to separate administration of MenACWY and MenB," the CDC stated in its new guidance.
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