COVID sickens older adults most severely, but less than half say they’ll get the new vaccine

That’s according to the National Poll on Healthy Aging, a project of the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation. In the weighted survey of nearly 3,500 U.S. adults aged 50 and older, 45% said they were very or somewhat likely to get the new vaccine. About 47% said they were very or somewhat unlikely to do so, and 8% were unsure.

Even if you’re otherwise healthy, your immune system naturally slows and weakens as you age. But the more underlying medical conditions you have, the higher your chances of severe COVID infection resulting in hospitalization and/or death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). You don’t have to have the likes of cancer or primary immunodeficiency to be considered high-risk; conditions ranging from obesity and heart disease to diabetes put you in danger.

Compared to younger adults 18 to 29, the number of COVID deaths among people over 65 is 97 times higher, the CDC says.

In the National Poll on Healthy Aging, likelihood of vaccination increased with age:

• 50 to 64: 37%
• 65 to 74: 51%
• 75 and older: 59%

“We know that this virus is most likely to cause severe illness in the oldest people, with people over age 75 accounting for nearly half of all COVID-19 hospitalizations since last fall, and at least 44,000 deaths of people over age 65 directly due to COVID-19 last year,” Dr. Preeti Malani, a senior advisor to the poll and an infectious disease physician at Michigan Medicine, said in a news release. “The vaccine offers protection against illness, including severe illness, in people of all ages, especially those who have underlying health issues.”

She added, “Our new poll data suggest that providers and health care organizations need to do more to encourage older adults to get vaccinated soon, especially given the current wave of cases and the likelihood of another wave this winter.”

College-educated adults more likely to get COVID vaccine

The survey was conducted last month—before the FDA approved the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines on Aug. 22 and authorized the Novavax vaccine for emergency use on Aug. 30. Still, this was after the CDC had recommended the then-upcoming vaccines for everyone 6 months and older in June.

Women were slightly more likely than men to say they were very or somewhat likely to get the new vaccine, but the National Poll on Healthy Aging revealed starker contrasts between other demographic groups. Respondents with at least a bachelor’s degree, for example, were more liable to report likely vaccination (54%) than those who had attained lower levels of education (41%).

Black (52%) and Asian (49%) older adults were more likely to lean toward vaccination than white (44%) and Hispanic (44%) respondents. White respondents (49%) were by far the most likely to say they were very or somewhat unlikely to get vaccinated—by as much as 17 percentage points. But among those who were unsure of vaccination, Black individuals (16%) had the most representation.

Citing existing research that shows children are the cause of household COVID spread in as many as 70% of situations, the survey inquired about adults’ living arrangements. Older adults who live with at least one child or teen under 18—whether children, grandchildren, or other minors—were less likely to lean toward vaccination (36%) than their peers who don’t live with a child (46%).

Though the survey excluded older adults who live in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, Malani stressed the importance of vaccination among people who live in such institutional settings.

“As the pandemic continues, we need to ensure that our most vulnerable have the best and most up-to-date protection they can get, which means getting all the doses recommended for them,” she said. “In fact, people who have a health condition or take a medication that compromises their immune system can get an additional dose or doses of the new updated vaccine two months after they get their first dose.”

Is there a certain COVID vaccine for people over 64?

No, the CDC doesn’t recommend one vaccine over another for people 65 and older, who may choose from these three:

• Pfizer mRNA vaccine (branded as Comirnaty)
  • FDA-approved
  • 1 dose needed
• Moderna mRNA vaccine (branded as Spikevax)
  • FDA-approved
  • 1 dose needed
• Novavax protein vaccine
  • FDA-authorized for emergency use
  • 1 dose needed
  • 2 doses needed only for patients who’ve never received any COVID vaccine

Medicare and many private health insurers cover the cost of the vaccine. Uninsured adults may be eligible for free vaccination at an accredited state, local, or tribal health department. Visit Vaccines.gov to find a provider near you. You can also call 800-232-0233 or text your ZIP code to 438829.

For more on COVID-19:

• 54 million COVID cases went unreported in 2022, study says. Here’s how to make your at-home test count
• Yes, you can get the COVID, flu, and RSV vaccines at once. Here are the pros and cons
• New COVID vaccines are here. What to know about latest shots in wake of nation’s biggest summer surge
• Could it be COVID? Here are the symptoms to watch out for in 2024
• Free, at-home COVID tests are back. Here’s how to order yours