More than three-quarters of U.S. adults were not vaccinated against COVID-19 last season, and health experts warn that number could rise this year due to new recommendations from the federal government.
Initially, the COVID-19 vaccine was popular. During the first months of 2022, approximately 75% of Americans at least one dose It is one of the first versions of the vaccine, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
However, only about 23% of adults have been vaccinated against COVID-19 for the 2024-2025 season, far lower than the 47% who have received the flu vaccine.
vaccination rate flu, measles Tetanus is also decreasing.
However, COVID-19 remains a serious and potentially fatal risk. Last year, it was the leading cause of death recorded on approximately 31,400 death certificates. In comparison, the flu is about 6,500 deaths And pneumonia, a common complication of the flu. There was an additional 41,600., According to the CDC.
As millions of people decide whether to get vaccinated this season, public health researchers worry that vaccination rates will fall further, especially among Latinos, African Americans and people under 30, who have lower vaccination rates and are at higher risk of complications such as long-term COVID-19.
Under the Trump administration and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the federal government has limited Covid vaccine recommendations, creating a patchwork of rules for vaccine access at pharmacies. States governed by Republicans often have more barriers to getting vaccinated.
“There is a lot of misinformation circulating about COVID-19,” he said. Aline-RomeAssistant Professor of Health, Society and Behavior at the University of California, Irvine. “Distrust in vaccines will increase.”
Last August, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) limited approval The COVID-19 vaccine is available to people 65 years of age and older and adults and children with at least one underlying medical condition that puts them at high risk for serious complications.
A month later, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Voted to encourage “shared clinical decision-making.”This is a reversal of the general directive to vaccinate all adults. The committee recommended that doctors explain to adults and children under 65 that the vaccine’s benefits are greatest for those with pre-existing conditions.
The guidance has been rejected by infectious disease experts, who say most adults and children should get both flu and Covid vaccines. Because both are safe, effective, and prevent serious illness.
Several independent medical organizations, such as the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics, have reiterated their support for widespread adoption of the COVID-19 vaccine.
More than 20 states have taken steps to ensure most people can get a Covid vaccine at a pharmacy without a prescription, many of them basing their policies on recommendations from scientific organizations.
Additionally, many of these states require insurers to cover the vaccine for free. KFF analysis. Other states, mostly Republican-controlled, allow pharmacies to require a prescription to administer the vaccine.
One of the most common reasons for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine is fear of side effects, concerns about long-term consequences, doubts about its effectiveness, and distrust of pharmaceutical companies and authorities. 2024 in magazines vaccine.
CDC data shows that during the 2024-2025 season, distrust of the Covid vaccine was highest among Latinos, African Americans, men, people without health insurance and people living in Republican-leaning states.
Latino adults had significantly lower willingness to get vaccinated compared to most other racial and ethnic groups. Vaccination coverage was approximately 15%.
In part, this situation may be due to age. A significant portion of the Latino population be young. But public policy can also play a role. For example, the first Trump administration tied Medicaid to “public charge” rules that allowed residency or visa denials to immigrants who depended on the publicly funded program. Some Latinos may still be afraid to sign up for social services even after the Biden administration repealed that rule.
Hello Ramos is co-author of the studyA report published in 2024 found that many Latinos were hesitant to get vaccinated because they feared it would affect their immigration status, and that mistrust grew as they experienced discrimination in the health care system, including denials or delays in treatment.
“Do you trust the health care system in general? Would you be willing to provide information such as your name and address?” Haroramos asked. “Trust is key.”
According to Haro-Ramos, the problem may have gotten worse since his study was published. this summerThe Trump administration said it would provide personal data of people enrolled in Medicaid to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Many Latinos are canceling medical appointments to avoid encounters with immigration agents.
“People are avoiding leaving their homes at all costs,” he said.
Janani Rajbhandari-TapaAssociate Professor, School of Public Health, University of Georgia I recently co-authored a study. Information about COVID-19 vaccinations for approximately 1,500 African Americans living in southern Georgia. The study found that participants tended to pay more attention to health care providers than to religious leaders or peers when seeking recommendations about whether to get vaccinated.
More than 90% of participants had received at least one dose of the vaccine, but unvaccinated people were more likely to believe false claims, such as that the vaccine causes miscarriages, that it stays in the body for a long time or even that it contains a microchip.
“It is doctors who can explain that these ideas about vaccines are myths,” Rajbhandari-Thapa said.
Hospitalization and death rates from COVID-19 have decreased significantly since the worst of the pandemic, but fatal complications remain more common in older adults. last year, About 89% of coronavirus deaths In the United States, the population over 65 years of age is included; 81% Number of deaths due to flu and pneumonia.
As the pandemic passes, many young people have developed a sense of invincibility. By 2024-2025, only 11% of Americans aged 18 to 29 have been vaccinated, the lowest proportion of any adult age group. In contrast to 70% of young adults People who have received at least one dose of the first COVID-19 vaccine by November 2023.
He explained that although many people become infected with COVID-19 even after receiving the vaccine, some people misunderstand the purpose of the vaccine because their defense against infection quickly weakens. Yang Otto, Infectious disease specialist at UCLA Health.
“They think, ‘Even though I got the vaccine, it didn’t work because I got COVID,’” Yang said. “And what they don’t know is that the vaccine prevented them from getting serious disease, which is the most important thing.”
Yang added that the vaccine could also help prevent long-term COVID-19, a problem that can affect people of all ages. According to a recent Northwestern University study: young adult They experience more intense symptoms of COVID-19 over a longer period of time than older people.
Ultimately, Yang said there is no point in getting the flu vaccine and not the COVID vaccine. Because both are safe, effective, and prevent serious illness. He added that it is clear that people with compromised immune systems and those at highest risk should get the Covid vaccine. For others, the decision is “a little less clear,” but “most adults should be vaccinated, just as the flu vaccine is recommended, as well as most children.”
Phillip Reese is a data journalism expert and associate professor of journalism at the University of California, Sacramento.
