ROB SCHMITZ, HOST:
As the holiday and the winter respiratory virus season approach, most people still have not gotten vaccinated against the flu or COVID-19. NPR health correspondent Rob Stein joins us now to talk about why and what this means. Hey, Rob.
ROB STEIN, BYLINE: Hey, Rob.
SCHMITZ: So let's start with the numbers. How many people have gotten vaccinated so far this year?
STEIN: It's not looking good. According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only about a third of adults have gotten this year's flu shot. And even fewer - less than 18% - have gotten one of the updated COVID boosters. Less than half of adults ages 75 and older have gotten the new RSV vaccine. Even fewer younger adults, who are also prone to getting really sick from RSV, have gotten that shot. Those flu and COVID numbers are a little better than this time last year, but far lower than needed to protect most people at risk. And, you know, Rob, most worrying - most nursing home residents haven't gotten a COVID booster and only 58% have gotten a flu shot. And they're the folks at highest risk of getting really sick or dying from the flu and COVID. I talked about what's happening with Dr. Georgina Peacock from the CDC.
GEORGINA PEACOCK: The majority of people have not had a vaccine this year to protect them against flu, COVID and, for those that are eligible, for RSV. And so there's a lot of work to be done. We would really like for those rates to be higher.
STEIN: And, you know, Rob, hundreds of people are still dying from COVID every week in the U.S, for example, even before the next surge expected this winter.
SCHMITZ: So Rob, these numbers are really surprising. And I'm wondering - why are so few people getting these shots?
STEIN: You know, Rob, it's a combination of factors. Part of it is the lingering skepticism and outright hostility from the pandemic toward the COVID vaccine specifically and vaccines in general. Another factor is that people tend to underestimate how dangerous both viruses can be while overestimating vaccination risks. There's a lot of misinformation about how well the vaccines work and how safe they are. And finally, a lot of folks are just sick of vaccines because of all the shots they've gotten over the last few years. You know, put it all together and a lot of people are just feeling kind of done with vaccines. I talked about this with Dr. Gregory Poland. He's president of the Atria Academy of Science and Medicine in New York.
GREGORY POLAND: As a society right now, we're in a phase of rejecting expertise, of mistrust of any expert, whether it's science, meteorology, medicine, government - whatever it is.
STEIN: And, you know, Rob, the vaccines aren't perfect. Vaccinated people can still get the flu or COVID. But the shots are a decent match for the strains circulating right now, are very safe, and quite effective at preventing severe disease and cutting the risk for long COVID.
SCHMITZ: Right, but it sounds like there's going to be a problem here. What's happening with flu, COVID and RSV right now, and what might be coming this winter?
STEIN: At the moment, the flu and RSV numbers are very low, and COVID's still receding in the U.S. from the late summer surge. But RSV has already started to pick up in the Southeast. And all three viruses are expected to take off again as people travel and gather for Thanksgiving and the winter holidays and start spending more time indoors.
SCHMITZ: Rob Stein, NPR's health correspondent, thank you.
STEIN: You bet, Rob. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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