Abstract
Whenever a new COVID-19 vaccination season starts, we must face new challenges, including
which vaccines to use, the update of the high-risk groups to be vaccinated, and especially
the type and amount of information to be communicated to people in order to promote
vaccination. COVID-19 vaccination recommendations should fit these specific conditions.
The use of effective vaccines against the predominant SARS-CoV-2 virus variants and
the extent of the immune response (waning immunity) are key aspects to try to protect
better the high-risk populations. Updated vaccines are currently swiftly available.
However, the number of people vaccinated with any additional booster dose is declining.
Improved health information and training for health care professionals, together with
the use of better tools to make simpler vaccination recommendations, can encourage
higher vaccination rates. Addressing these challenges is essential to improve vaccination
coverage and ensure adequate protection in the face of evolving COVID-19 threats.
The SARS-CoV-2 virus has become a constant presence in our society. The virus changes
but is neither endemic nor seasonal so far. The Omicron variant prevailed for nearly
2 years and now several of its subvariants like JN.1, KP.2, or XEC are or can be the
dominant ones. In the face of this moving situation, the main message must be the
same: COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. The role of current COVID-19 vaccination
efforts is to mitigate the severity of the disease and reduce the risk of complications
and death, instead of preventing most SARS-CoV-2 infections. New vaccines against
COVID-19 are now at different stages of clinical research.
Keywords
vaccines - vaccination - COVID-19
