I have been asked this a LOT in the office recently. And, then, into my inbox from the American Academy of Family Physicians an article illuminated this issue.

COVID-19 Vaccine Update (June 2025)

• The COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. still help protect people from getting very sick, even with new versions of the virus like Omicron JN.1.
• These vaccines don’t stop all infections, but they help keep people out of the hospital.
• The protection from the shot is strongest in the first few months and then slowly wears off over time.

What the research shows:

• People who got the new 2024–2025 COVID vaccine were:
  • 33% less likely to go to the emergency room for COVID.
  • 45–46% less likely to be hospitalized if they were age 65 or older and not immune-compromised.
  • 40% less likely to be hospitalized if they were age 65+ and had weaker immune systems.

What doctors and scientists recommend:

• Everyone 6 months and older should get the 2024–2025 COVID vaccine.
• The shots help the most with stopping serious illness, even if they don’t always stop mild symptoms.

Why it still matters:

• Older vaccines (like the XBB.1.5 version) didn’t last very long and didn’t stop infections well.
• The newer vaccine works better, but protection still fades, so updates will keep being needed.

I hope this helps.