Politics

/

ArcaMax

Commentary: The high stakes of skipping your yearly COVID-19 shot

Jerome M. Adams, Chicago Tribune on

Published in Op Eds

Every parent wants to keep their family safe. We want our children to be healthy and enjoy the activities and milestones of adolescence. We yearn to grow old alongside our partners and to celebrate many more birthdays and holidays with our own parents.

This deep-seated desire for safety and togetherness spurred many of us into action when the COVID-19 vaccine first became available more than three years ago. After a year marked by isolation and fear for our loved ones’ health, most Americans eagerly lined up to get their initial shots.

Yet, in 2024, I fear we’ve created a false sense of security. Seventy percent of Americans were fully vaccinated from COVID-19 in 2022, but only 22% got an updated vaccine last year. An updated vaccine — designed to help your body produce antibodies against the most likely currently circulating strains of the virus — offers crucial protection against severe illness, hospitalization and death. Unfortunately, our hospitals are already feeling the strain of declining vaccination rates. Some 34,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 in 2024 alone, with thousands more hospitalized and hundreds succumbing weekly.

Like so many, I felt a wave of relief when my family completed our initial vaccinations. Finally, we could enjoy life with a renewed sense of safety.

That’s why my family continues to get vaccinated every year. My daughter is receiving her updated COVID-19 vaccine to minimize her chances of falling ill before her high school homecoming dance. My wife, who is battling cancer, knows that a COVID-19 infection could pose severe complications. My elderly parents, both in high-risk categories, receive their vaccinations to protect their health. And as someone who travels frequently for work, I get vaccinated to reduce the risk of bringing the virus home.

Yet almost 80% of the public doesn’t share our sense of urgency. To be frank, the medical and public health community has struggled to effectively communicate the importance of annual COVID-19 vaccinations. Immunity wanes, and the virus mutates; it’s not a one-and-done scenario. People need yearly updates for optimal protection against circulating strains.

Many are underestimating the dangers of remaining unvaccinated. Millions of Americans are at high risk, yet many don’t recognize themselves as such. Approximately 7 in 10 adults have a risk factor for severe COVID-19 symptoms. Conditions such as high blood pressure increase the risk fourfold, while chronic lung diseases raise it sixfold, and diabetes raises it threefold.

The most significant risk factor for poor COVID-19 outcomes remains age: Adults ages 65 and older account for two-thirds of COVID-19 hospitalizations and more than 81% of in-hospital deaths. Alarmingly, only about 40% of Americans in that age group received a COVID-19 vaccine last year.

 

Even healthy adults and children can suffer long-term symptoms from a COVID-19 infection. As a parent, this is one of my greatest concerns. The risk of long-term symptoms, known as long COVID, increases with each infection, even if it’s a mild case. About 7% of U.S. adults — nearly 18 million people — report enduring symptoms such as shortness of breath, extreme fatigue and brain fog. While there is no known cure for long COVID, recent studies indicate that vaccination can reduce the risk of developing these chronic symptoms by up to 70%.

No one wants to miss work, school or cherished moments because of a severe infection or lingering symptoms. We’ve already lost too many special occasions during the peak of the pandemic. We all want to gather safely with loved ones at Thanksgiving, go on planned vacations and celebrate life’s joyous moments, whether it’s weddings or the joy of new babies. We want to visit our loved ones in nursing homes without the fear of causing an outbreak while doing so. We want to gather safely with our friends, and we can do this more assuredly if everyone is vaccinated.

COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to significantly lower risk of hospitalization and death and have been safely administered to billions of people worldwide. As with any health recommendation, it’s understandable that people will have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine — and they should always consult their doctors or trusted health care providers. It’s vital that we take our health seriously, seek answers and engage in compassionate conversations about vaccination.

Updated COVID-19 vaccines are now available nationwide, and the time to act is now. Let’s prioritize our health, protect our loved ones and cherish the moments that matter. Together, we can navigate this ongoing challenge with vigilance and care.

_____

Dr. Jerome M. Adams, MPH, was the 20th surgeon general of the United States.

_____


©2024 Chicago Tribune. Visit at chicagotribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

Comments

blog comments powered by Disqus

 

Related Channels

ACLU

ACLU

By The ACLU
Amy Goodman

Amy Goodman

By Amy Goodman
Armstrong Williams

Armstrong Williams

By Armstrong Williams
Austin Bay

Austin Bay

By Austin Bay
Ben Shapiro

Ben Shapiro

By Ben Shapiro
Betsy McCaughey

Betsy McCaughey

By Betsy McCaughey
Bill Press

Bill Press

By Bill Press
Bonnie Jean Feldkamp

Bonnie Jean Feldkamp

By Bonnie Jean Feldkamp
Cal Thomas

Cal Thomas

By Cal Thomas
Christine Flowers

Christine Flowers

By Christine Flowers
Clarence Page

Clarence Page

By Clarence Page
Danny Tyree

Danny Tyree

By Danny Tyree
David Harsanyi

David Harsanyi

By David Harsanyi
Debra Saunders

Debra Saunders

By Debra Saunders
Dennis Prager

Dennis Prager

By Dennis Prager
Dick Polman

Dick Polman

By Dick Polman
Erick Erickson

Erick Erickson

By Erick Erickson
Froma Harrop

Froma Harrop

By Froma Harrop
Jacob Sullum

Jacob Sullum

By Jacob Sullum
Jamie Stiehm

Jamie Stiehm

By Jamie Stiehm
Jeff Robbins

Jeff Robbins

By Jeff Robbins
Jessica Johnson

Jessica Johnson

By Jessica Johnson
Jim Hightower

Jim Hightower

By Jim Hightower
Joe Conason

Joe Conason

By Joe Conason
Joe Guzzardi

Joe Guzzardi

By Joe Guzzardi
John Micek

John Micek

By John Micek
John Stossel

John Stossel

By John Stossel
Josh Hammer

Josh Hammer

By Josh Hammer
Judge Andrew Napolitano

Judge Andrew Napolitano

By Judge Andrew P. Napolitano
Laura Hollis

Laura Hollis

By Laura Hollis
Marc Munroe Dion

Marc Munroe Dion

By Marc Munroe Dion
Michael Barone

Michael Barone

By Michael Barone
Michael Reagan

Michael Reagan

By Michael Reagan
Mona Charen

Mona Charen

By Mona Charen
Oliver North and David L. Goetsch

Oliver North and David L. Goetsch

By Oliver North and David L. Goetsch
R. Emmett Tyrrell

R. Emmett Tyrrell

By R. Emmett Tyrrell
Rachel Marsden

Rachel Marsden

By Rachel Marsden
Rich Lowry

Rich Lowry

By Rich Lowry
Robert B. Reich

Robert B. Reich

By Robert B. Reich
Ruben Navarrett Jr

Ruben Navarrett Jr

By Ruben Navarrett Jr.
Ruth Marcus

Ruth Marcus

By Ruth Marcus
S.E. Cupp

S.E. Cupp

By S.E. Cupp
Salena Zito

Salena Zito

By Salena Zito
Star Parker

Star Parker

By Star Parker
Stephen Moore

Stephen Moore

By Stephen Moore
Susan Estrich

Susan Estrich

By Susan Estrich
Ted Rall

Ted Rall

By Ted Rall
Terence P. Jeffrey

Terence P. Jeffrey

By Terence P. Jeffrey
Tim Graham

Tim Graham

By Tim Graham
Tom Purcell

Tom Purcell

By Tom Purcell
Veronique de Rugy

Veronique de Rugy

By Veronique de Rugy
Victor Joecks

Victor Joecks

By Victor Joecks
Wayne Allyn Root

Wayne Allyn Root

By Wayne Allyn Root

Comics

Joel Pett Andy Marlette Gary McCoy Chip Bok Ed Gamble Jimmy Margulies