You might think that a flu shot is enough to keep you healthy this winter, but that may not be all the protection you need. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its 2024 list of recommended immunizations for adults on Jan. 11, and there's plenty to take note of in the agency's new guidance for vaccines.
"This year's schedule is particularly important because many adults are not up-to-date on recommended vaccines," the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) stated in a press release.
According to the release, there are notable changes in the updated recommendations, including four new vaccine recommendations. At a time when respiratory infections, hospitalizations, and deaths have been increasing in recent weeks, experts say it's more important than ever to keep up with the latest guidance from the CDC.
"We take vaccines for granted,” Michael Osterholm, PhD, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told The Wall Street Journal. "People are tired of being told what to do ... but these are guardrails on your life.”
To learn more about the four new vaccines the CDC says you need this year, read on.
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1 | COVID vaccine
Viacheslav Lopatin / ShutterstockThe CDC is recommending COVID vaccinations again this year, but the agency has changed its tune about what kind. According to the ACIP's update, the bivalent mRNA COVID vaccines that were used during the 2022 to 2023 season are no longer recommended.
Instead, all adults are now advised to get at least one dose of an updated COVID vaccine featuring the new 2023 to 2024 formula. Replacing the previous bivalent vaccines, these monovalent shots have been formulated to target the Omicron variant XBB.1.5, according to the CDC.
"The updated COVID-19 vaccines are meant to broaden vaccine-induced immunity and provide protection against the currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 XBB-sublineage variants including against severe COVID-19–associated illness and death," the agency explained.
RELATED: 34 States With "Very High" COVID Levels, New CDC Data Shows.
2 | RSV vaccine
iStockA new respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine has also made its way onto the 2024 list. Pfizer received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its RSV vaccine Abrysvo last year, and now the CDC is recommending it for two groups of people: those who are 32 weeks to 36 weeks pregnant from September through January, and anyone over the age of 60 years old.
RELATED: 14 States Where Respiratory Illness Is Spreading Fastest Post-Holidays, CDC Warns.
3 | Mpox vaccine
iStockCDC advisors are recommending routine mpox shots for some adults for the first time as well. According to the agency's release, "all adults in any age group at increased risk of becoming infected should get a two-dose series" of the mpox vaccine Jynneos. You can find a full list of risk factors for mpox infection on the CDC's website.
4 | Meningitis vaccine
iStockA new combination meningitis vaccine is the final update to the CDC's 2024 list of recommended immunizations. In October, the FDA approved Pfizer's new vaccine Penbraya, which protects against the five most common variations of meningococcal disease.
"Adults may receive a single dose of Penbraya as an alternative to separate administration of MenACWY and MenB," the CDC stated in its new guidance.
Best Life offers the most up-to-date information from top experts, new research, and health agencies, but our content is not meant to be a substitute for professional guidance. When it comes to the medication you're taking or any other health questions you have, always consult your healthcare provider directly.
