Aug 10, 2022 - Health

Most vaccinated people 50+ will get a booster: poll

Likelihood of getting a fall COVID-19 booster among older adults
Data: University of Michigan; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

Most people older than 50 who've already gotten at least one COVID shot plan to get an updated booster if they're released as expected this fall, according to the latest University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging.

Why it matters: The findings offer a hint at the potential uptake for reformulated shots that better protect against the Omicron variant — at least among older adults.

  • Recent Axios-Ipsos polling suggests vaccinated Americans ages 50+ are more likely than younger Americans to say they will seek out an annual booster.

Details: The poll, taken in late July at the U-M Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, found that 68% of those 65 and older said they were very likely to get an updated shot.

  • In comparison, 55% of those ages 50 to 64 said they were very likely to get one.

Zoom in: The poll also found a stark difference between the two age groups when it came to their plans to get a flu shot this fall.

  • 74% of people over 65 said they were very likely to get a flu shot while less than half (46%) of people ages 50 to 64 said they'd get one.
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