A recent study suggests that a single dose of the VRS vaccine can provide protection to the elderly during two consecutive seasons of colds and flu.
According to the investigation published on August 30 in the Journal of the American Medical Associationvaccination reduced the risk of hospitalization by VRS in 58 % in older adults for two seasons. Dr. Wesley Self, principal investigator of the study and senior vice president of clinical research of the Medical Center of the University of Vanderbilt, stressed that the results clearly show that this vaccine helps prevent hospitalizations and serious diseases by VRS in the elderly population, representing an important benefit to public health.
However, the effectiveness decreased between the first and the second season, which generates doubts about the need for additional doses. The study analyzed almost 7,000 people over 60 years hospitalized for serious respiratory diseases in 26 hospitals of 20 states during the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 seasons. The protection against hospitalizations by VRS was 69 % the first year and 48 % the second.
The VRS represents a significant risk in autumn and winter for those who are 60 years or older, causing up to 150,000 hospitalizations and 8,000 deaths per year in the United States, according to researchers.
Currently, CDC recommends a unique dose of the VRS for adults 75 years or older and for those who are between 50 and 74 years old with high risk of serious illness. The vaccine is not considered annual, and those who already received it do not need another dose immediately.
However, study findings could motivate a review of these guidelines. Self pointed out that administering a second dose after an interval could prolong protection and that it is necessary to continue evaluating the duration of the benefit after the initial dose and determine if it should be repeated the vaccination in the future.
