People with some mental health conditions, including schizophrenia and mood disorders such as depression, are eligible for boosters of COVID-19 vaccines, according to updated guidance by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In addition to depression, other mood disorders include bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder. Additional lung and liver diseases and tuberculosis were also added to the list of qualifying conditions, the CDC announced on Twitter last week.
Dr. Paul Offit, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and a member of the US Food and Drug Administration's vaccine advisory panel, told The New York Times that the change means about 85% of American adults are now eligible for COVID-19 boosters.
"The door just keeps getting wider and wider," Offit told The Times.
The country's booster rollout program prioritizes people who may benefit from the increased protection a booster shot of COVID-19 vaccine could bring. That includes people with underlying medical conditions that may increase risk for severe COVID-19 disease. The COVID-19 vaccines remain effective at protecting against severe disease, hospitalization and death.
According to the CDC's summary of its updates on underlying medical conditions, people with some mental health conditions were added to the list in September 2021 because research shows they're more at risk for hospitalization and death from COVID-19.
One systematic review referenced by the CDC found that the highest COVID-19 mortality rate among people with mental health conditions was in those with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. People with anxiety disorders weren't at an increased risk of death from COVID-19.
Other adults eligible for a booster in the US currently include adults age 65 or older, everyone who received Johnson & Johnson's vaccine, people who live in long-term care facilities, and adults at risk of COVID-19 because of their work or setting. Immunocompromised people are also eligible for a third (and in some cases, fourth) shot.
The CDC's recommendation on whether you need a booster varies in strength, and depends on your individual circumstances. Adults age 50 or older with a medical condition "should" get a booster, while people with the same condition but who are aged 18 to 49 "may" get one if they choose, for example.
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