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So far, very few people have been rolling up their sleeves to get the latest COVID-19 vaccines. That's according to the first data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracking demand for the new shots. NPR health correspondent Rob Stein has more.
ROB STEIN, BYLINE: Remember when people desperately scrambled for appointments and lined up around the block to get vaccinated against COVID? Well, those days are long gone. The vaccines have been getting less and less popular. And so far this year, that trend looks like it's continuing. According to the CDC data out today, only 2.8% of adults have gotten one of the updated vaccines since they became available about a month ago. And less than a quarter say they plan to get a new shot. Dr. Marcus Plescia is the chief medical officer at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
MARCUS PLESCIA: It's disappointing that we're not seeing the uptake that we would like to for the COVID vaccines, really, across any of the groups.
STEIN: But it's not entirely surprising. Most people don't worry about getting really sick or dying from COVID anymore. And there's still a ton of misinformation and distress about the vaccines, even though they're very safe and effective at keeping people out of the hospital or dying.
PLESCIA: It's clearly lost some of its urgency for people, and that's understandable. I mean, that's a good thing because it's not as frightening. We've got a much better handle on COVID. We just can't be complacent.
STEIN: Because COVID is still a big threat. Lots of people are getting knocked out of work. Kids are missing school, and hundreds of people are still ending up in the hospital and even dying from COVID every week. COVID remains a bigger killer than the flu. Claire Hannan is the executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers.
CLAIRE HANNAN: We're still seeing hospitalizations and deaths from COVID, especially for those who are older, especially those with underlying conditions. So it is concerning. We have our work cut out for us to educate about the importance of the vaccine.
STEIN: Even though new variants keep emerging, so far, the updated formulations of the new vaccines look like they make them a pretty good match for the strains that are circulating. While the federal government isn't paying for the vaccines for most people anymore, in short, people can still get a COVID shot for free from pharmacies and doctors in their network. And the government is spending millions to try to provide the vaccine to at least some people who are uninsured. After all, another wave of COVID infections is expected this winter, along with the flu and RSV. Rob Stein, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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