New CDC survey data show that most US residents intend to get a dose of the new updated Covid-19 vaccine this fall. But rates vary by demographic, from race and ethnicity, to age, economic status, and by orientation (such as straight versus gay/lesbian/bisexual/other or cis-
I got an updated shot as soon as possible back in September: the process was fraught with cancellations and insurance issues. I was very strongly motivated and persevered, it wasn't easy. Recently my spouse got a flu shot at our physician's office and there was a facility charge! Billing told me to go to CVS in the future. Medicare Advantage. As reported on STAT, it's just too hard. When we did go to CVS: the only masked people and the staff were stretched so thin and it was not a pleasant experience. And we're well insured, medical professionals and motivated. The barriers are high.
Yeah this is shocking to me. This is the first go-round where it isn't all automatically paid for by US Govt. So, I hope next time is smoother with this being the growing pains of that changeover.
After getting all mRNA vaccines previously I have been waiting for Novavax and it is now becoming more available. I wanted to have coverage over the holidays so have delayed getting it. I went to Costco, which was the first place I had heard Novavax was in stock and I was told my insurance was out of network. I told them to bill Medicare and not my supplement plan and they refused. To avoid chaos I left without getting it and called them the next day to clarify and was told their employee was incorrect and that I should come back but only give them my Medicare card. I tried my local CVS (my in network provider) and was told they never know when the Novavax is coming and it expires quickly once open. CVS’s online appointment website says to check with the pharmacist if you want Novavax, so there was no way to sign up online for Novavax. I went to Costco and gave them my Medicare card only and got my Novavax two weeks after I intended to get it.
I’m highly motivated and health literate because I’m immunocompromised and have previously worked in healthcare.
I think the data is telling one major factor between wanting to get the updated vaccine and actually doing so.
I’m in MA. There are many CVS and Walgreens here.
But, both customers and staff are unmasked, stores are often crowded.
If I make a vaccine appointment there, I could be waiting in line next to someone buying rapid tests or picking up their Paxlovid Rx.
Those are risks that I and anyone who is high risk (which includes anyone over 65 and family members of the high risk)cannot afford
After much searching, I found one small hospital run vaccine clinic, two towns away, which is held a few hours per week, and is located
in a small room next to a busy pediatrician’s office and shared narrow hallway.
I made a first of day appointment which would be cancelled due to lack of vaccine.
I finally received my updated vaccine two weeks later.
The person administering the vaccine still chose not to mask even after I said I’m immunocompromised.
And that was the safest setting available to someone with decent knowledge and resources.
I have a number of over 80 acquaintances who are afraid to go in CVS and lack resources to travel out of town.
I absolutely believe that the lack of safe settings to receive vaccines, whether Covid or flu, is a barrier to high risk individuals and their family members
I would like to get my flu shot, but there is no alternative within driving distance of me, to the retail pharmacies
This is why pharmacy staff (especially people getting up close to vaccinate you) ought to be masking! We don't want to discourage people from coming in. If MedPage Today does a story on this, would you be up for speaking with them?
I'm chomping at at the bit to get my fall covid vaccine (I'd love to snag a Novavax if possible)! I'm waiting because I had the 'rona in early August, and was told to wait at least 3 months (or possibly 6) to get another shot. I'm aiming for late next week so I'm freshly juiced up for Thanksgiving/Christmas. Hoping this is the right choice-- there seems to be conflicting guidance between CDC, my doctor, and the epidemiologists I follow. It's hard to know for sure.
Thank you again for the wonderful information. There is very little promotion of covid vaccine anywhere. And, as all others have mentioned, cost and effort is a big factor.
People are confused with the addition of RSV vax now. Just yesterday, an elderly gentleman thought he was “all set” as he got the flu and RSV vax. Most have lost all faith in our public health system.
The UK government hearings on covid response have been fascinating. They are being televised in UK. Voices of the bereaved and sufferers of long covid have just as much input as the UK government. Where is the US equivalent!!!
Hi- well I am a bit if all the things. I have had five shots as I had lung surgery last summer of 22. Still got it twice, but did not get horribly sick (yea)! I plan on getting the new one...then so many doctors are not recommending them and I don’t know why? I am 54 and my my husband is 61. We are in pretty good health and live in a city with a world renowned medical center. Hate the confusion. I am going to get one, but not yet. I am waiting as I just don’t want to get poked and feel bad right now and hedging my bets to get it closer to holidays. Thank you to you and Benjy for all you do. Really love your dashboard and it’s so helpful!
Waited for novavax after getting prior mRNA. It was difficult to find, but Rite Aid had it available. My husband tried to book novavax 2 weeks later (after I had no noticeable side effects) and scheduled at Rite Aid. He showed up and it was out of stock so he ended up getting Pfizer. Our littles haven’t had theirs yet. The pediatrician’s office didn’t have them but said they may down the road. Nobody seems in a rush to get logistics worked out for the kids.
I was waiting to get my flu shot and COVID booster when I see my PCP in November. Before COVID I'd had a couple of cases of Influenza in Feb/March so wanted to wait. That plan sort of backfired as I got COVID for the first time in October. Now I guess I will get the flu shot in November and wait for the booster since I just had COVID and had heard, at least with previous COVID vaccines, you needed to wait a bit before getting the vaccine.
Yeah waiting is the right move if you just had Covid. I tend to wait on flu shot too. I'm getting mine in the next week or two. We know a lot less about how much it wanes (and for what outcome), but it does wane some so I have always figured that September or even October is possibly "too soon" for me since I know I'll have tons of exposure in Dec-Feb and I can easily get the shot any time. (For people who have less ease getting it, just get it when you have the chance, which often means earlier)
May be there is a combination of sampling and response bias. The national rate was 3% as reported last week compared to 7% in this survey a week before that. I can't find the response rate, but the CDC Pulse surveys have a 6% response rate so it may be that low - suggesting perhaps the people who agree to sit on the phone are not representative of the population?
Last year 15% got the booster according to this interview with Dr. Mandy Cohen [1] (new CDC head), I tried to find last year's survey but failed, I suspect an even higher number than 55%+ had answered affirmative to this survey a year ago but never followed through. If you or Benjay find the previous survey, may give idea of what gap to expect.
Anecdotally while waiting a CVS here in Cleveland I witnessed an elderly couple come in, request Walk-In Covid and Flu vaccines, but told only the Flu could be walk-in, the Covid vaccine had to be scheduled online. Not sure if that couple ever bothered beyond the Flu vaccine they got that day.
Sampling bias is always a problem, indeed. I suspect people who fill these out are more likely to be "yes" than a true cross section of the population. But my guess is that the flavor of it is right. That is...few have gotten it, many/most in certain key demographics intend to.
We also saw the opposite. Prior to the first vaccine rollout, interest was a lot lower. Once people saw it was safe and saving lives, uptake exceeded expectations based on what the polling would have said. That may have been a unique situation, though.
I have received all the other boosters (total of 6 vaccinations for COVID so far), and would have gotten this one, but I caught COVID for the first time in August. The advice I’ve seen is to wait 3-4 months after having it, for the vaccine to be most effective. So I plan on waiting until early December.
I got an updated shot as soon as possible back in September: the process was fraught with cancellations and insurance issues. I was very strongly motivated and persevered, it wasn't easy. Recently my spouse got a flu shot at our physician's office and there was a facility charge! Billing told me to go to CVS in the future. Medicare Advantage. As reported on STAT, it's just too hard. When we did go to CVS: the only masked people and the staff were stretched so thin and it was not a pleasant experience. And we're well insured, medical professionals and motivated. The barriers are high.
Yeah this is shocking to me. This is the first go-round where it isn't all automatically paid for by US Govt. So, I hope next time is smoother with this being the growing pains of that changeover.
After getting all mRNA vaccines previously I have been waiting for Novavax and it is now becoming more available. I wanted to have coverage over the holidays so have delayed getting it. I went to Costco, which was the first place I had heard Novavax was in stock and I was told my insurance was out of network. I told them to bill Medicare and not my supplement plan and they refused. To avoid chaos I left without getting it and called them the next day to clarify and was told their employee was incorrect and that I should come back but only give them my Medicare card. I tried my local CVS (my in network provider) and was told they never know when the Novavax is coming and it expires quickly once open. CVS’s online appointment website says to check with the pharmacist if you want Novavax, so there was no way to sign up online for Novavax. I went to Costco and gave them my Medicare card only and got my Novavax two weeks after I intended to get it.
Wow this is interesting. If MedPage Today is interested, would you be willing to speak to one of our reporters about this?
Sure.
I’m highly motivated and health literate because I’m immunocompromised and have previously worked in healthcare.
I think the data is telling one major factor between wanting to get the updated vaccine and actually doing so.
I’m in MA. There are many CVS and Walgreens here.
But, both customers and staff are unmasked, stores are often crowded.
If I make a vaccine appointment there, I could be waiting in line next to someone buying rapid tests or picking up their Paxlovid Rx.
Those are risks that I and anyone who is high risk (which includes anyone over 65 and family members of the high risk)cannot afford
After much searching, I found one small hospital run vaccine clinic, two towns away, which is held a few hours per week, and is located
in a small room next to a busy pediatrician’s office and shared narrow hallway.
I made a first of day appointment which would be cancelled due to lack of vaccine.
I finally received my updated vaccine two weeks later.
The person administering the vaccine still chose not to mask even after I said I’m immunocompromised.
And that was the safest setting available to someone with decent knowledge and resources.
I have a number of over 80 acquaintances who are afraid to go in CVS and lack resources to travel out of town.
I absolutely believe that the lack of safe settings to receive vaccines, whether Covid or flu, is a barrier to high risk individuals and their family members
I would like to get my flu shot, but there is no alternative within driving distance of me, to the retail pharmacies
This is why pharmacy staff (especially people getting up close to vaccinate you) ought to be masking! We don't want to discourage people from coming in. If MedPage Today does a story on this, would you be up for speaking with them?
Yes, I would be most willing to. Thank you for replying!
I'm chomping at at the bit to get my fall covid vaccine (I'd love to snag a Novavax if possible)! I'm waiting because I had the 'rona in early August, and was told to wait at least 3 months (or possibly 6) to get another shot. I'm aiming for late next week so I'm freshly juiced up for Thanksgiving/Christmas. Hoping this is the right choice-- there seems to be conflicting guidance between CDC, my doctor, and the epidemiologists I follow. It's hard to know for sure.
Thank you again for the wonderful information. There is very little promotion of covid vaccine anywhere. And, as all others have mentioned, cost and effort is a big factor.
People are confused with the addition of RSV vax now. Just yesterday, an elderly gentleman thought he was “all set” as he got the flu and RSV vax. Most have lost all faith in our public health system.
The UK government hearings on covid response have been fascinating. They are being televised in UK. Voices of the bereaved and sufferers of long covid have just as much input as the UK government. Where is the US equivalent!!!
Hi- well I am a bit if all the things. I have had five shots as I had lung surgery last summer of 22. Still got it twice, but did not get horribly sick (yea)! I plan on getting the new one...then so many doctors are not recommending them and I don’t know why? I am 54 and my my husband is 61. We are in pretty good health and live in a city with a world renowned medical center. Hate the confusion. I am going to get one, but not yet. I am waiting as I just don’t want to get poked and feel bad right now and hedging my bets to get it closer to holidays. Thank you to you and Benjy for all you do. Really love your dashboard and it’s so helpful!
Waited for novavax after getting prior mRNA. It was difficult to find, but Rite Aid had it available. My husband tried to book novavax 2 weeks later (after I had no noticeable side effects) and scheduled at Rite Aid. He showed up and it was out of stock so he ended up getting Pfizer. Our littles haven’t had theirs yet. The pediatrician’s office didn’t have them but said they may down the road. Nobody seems in a rush to get logistics worked out for the kids.
I was waiting to get my flu shot and COVID booster when I see my PCP in November. Before COVID I'd had a couple of cases of Influenza in Feb/March so wanted to wait. That plan sort of backfired as I got COVID for the first time in October. Now I guess I will get the flu shot in November and wait for the booster since I just had COVID and had heard, at least with previous COVID vaccines, you needed to wait a bit before getting the vaccine.
Yeah waiting is the right move if you just had Covid. I tend to wait on flu shot too. I'm getting mine in the next week or two. We know a lot less about how much it wanes (and for what outcome), but it does wane some so I have always figured that September or even October is possibly "too soon" for me since I know I'll have tons of exposure in Dec-Feb and I can easily get the shot any time. (For people who have less ease getting it, just get it when you have the chance, which often means earlier)
May be there is a combination of sampling and response bias. The national rate was 3% as reported last week compared to 7% in this survey a week before that. I can't find the response rate, but the CDC Pulse surveys have a 6% response rate so it may be that low - suggesting perhaps the people who agree to sit on the phone are not representative of the population?
Last year 15% got the booster according to this interview with Dr. Mandy Cohen [1] (new CDC head), I tried to find last year's survey but failed, I suspect an even higher number than 55%+ had answered affirmative to this survey a year ago but never followed through. If you or Benjay find the previous survey, may give idea of what gap to expect.
Anecdotally while waiting a CVS here in Cleveland I witnessed an elderly couple come in, request Walk-In Covid and Flu vaccines, but told only the Flu could be walk-in, the Covid vaccine had to be scheduled online. Not sure if that couple ever bothered beyond the Flu vaccine they got that day.
____________
[1] https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/24/covid-flu-vaccine-cdc-director-mandy-cohen-00123268
Sampling bias is always a problem, indeed. I suspect people who fill these out are more likely to be "yes" than a true cross section of the population. But my guess is that the flavor of it is right. That is...few have gotten it, many/most in certain key demographics intend to.
We also saw the opposite. Prior to the first vaccine rollout, interest was a lot lower. Once people saw it was safe and saving lives, uptake exceeded expectations based on what the polling would have said. That may have been a unique situation, though.
I have received all the other boosters (total of 6 vaccinations for COVID so far), and would have gotten this one, but I caught COVID for the first time in August. The advice I’ve seen is to wait 3-4 months after having it, for the vaccine to be most effective. So I plan on waiting until early December.
Yes I would wait as well if I were infected and planning to get another dose.