The CDC says everyone ages 6 months and up should roll up their sleeves and get the new COVID shots this season, and extra doses are recommended for those who are immunocompromised to boost protection and lower the risk of hospitalization.
The term "immunocompromised" became more familiar in the early days of COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic, identifying those 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 many more think they are, according to Dr. Anu Seshadri.
"I do see a lot of patients here that come in and they're like, 'Doctor, no, I need my immune system checked out because I've gotten sick left, right and center this year,'" said Dr. Seshadri, an internal medicine and pediatric physician at UCLA Health.
But as a matter of fact, getting sick often is the opposite of being immunocompromised. Instead, it could simply mean you're being exposed to germs more often than others.
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"It's the fact that you're getting exposed; there's more exposure," Seshadri said. "Sharing is caring. If you have kids and they go to daycare and they're going to school, you're bound to get all the different viruses that are circulating, right?"
The other key part is that if you're getting sick a lot, you are getting over it before getting sick again.
"Your immune system is strong enough to actually fight the virus, and then you're getting exposed to a new one," Dr. Seshadri said.
If a patient has trouble clearing one infection without getting better, however, that can be a sign of a weakened immune system. Still, being immunocompromised comes from a doctor's diagnosis and is often associated with inherited disorders, autoimmune diseases like HIV/AIDS, cancer treatments or transplants.
The bottom line is that getting recurrent infections does not make someone immunocompromised.
How many doses of the COVID-19 vaccine do immunocompromised people need?
The official CDC guidance for moderately or severely immunocompromised patients 6 months and older who aren't vaccinated is to get two or three doses of the same brand of the updated COVID-19 vaccine.
Moderately or severely immunocompromised patients who have gotten COVID-19 vaccines before Sept. 12, 2023, should get one or two doses of the updated vaccine depending on previous doses and age.
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The immunocompromised may also get additional vaccine doses two or more months after the last recommended vaccine.
To see the CDC's full guidance, click here.
For any medical concerns, including about any vaccine doses, always be sure to share your concerns and questions with your health provider.
