Prioritising elderly individuals for COVID-19 boosters

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, the question of how best to allocate limited booster vaccine supplies remains critical. New research from the University of Oxford, published in PLOS Computational Biology, suggests that prioritising elderly individuals for booster shots is the most effective way to reduce deaths, regardless of a country's socioeconomic background or age distribution.

Despite widespread vaccination efforts, the emergence of new variants and waning immunity have led to ongoing waves of COVID-19. This has left policymakers grappling with the decision of whether to target booster vaccines at older populations or to consider other strategies that might also reduce premature deaths.

The study, led by Dr Robin Thompson, used mathematical modelling to assess the impact of different vaccination strategies across various countries with diverse economic and demographic profiles. The findings were clear: prioritising the elderly consistently resulted in the lowest number of deaths and years of life lost, a measure that considers premature mortality among younger people.

The study concludes that older individuals, who are at significantly higher risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19, should be prioritised for booster vaccines when supplies are limited. This strategy was shown to be effective not only in high-income countries, where the population tends to be older, but also in lower- and middle-income countries, where younger populations are more prevalent.