Take a shot at staying healthy

There are many ways to look at taking a shot. The rapper Eminem asks: “If you had one shot ... to seize everything you ever wanted in one moment. Would you capture it or just let it slip?” The golfer Johnny Miller says: “Serenity is knowing that your worst shot is still pretty good.” There’s a bit of wisdom in those perspectives that you can apply to COVID-19 vaccinations.

We now know the vaccines and boosters do their job — they give most people a solid shot at staying out of the hospital and not dying from the virus. One study found they reduced the risk of death from COVID-19 by 34%. Another found that folks age 65 and older with two vaccinations and a booster had an 88% lower risk of COVID-19 hospitalization. I can’t think of any reason those 50 and older or with a comorbidity like obesity (at any age) wouldn’t want to have that club in their bag. And I advocate the vaccines for kids as well.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s advisory committee recently said that the COVID-19 shots from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax “should be added to the 2023 childhood and adult vaccination schedules” along with other routinely recommended inoculations. If that’s got you wondering about your youngest children, a study by the KidCOVE Study Group published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that even 6-month-olds receive effective protection from their dose of the vaccine and don’t experience significant side effects. So, talk to your doctor about you and yours having a shot at a healthy 2023.

Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. His next book is “The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow.” Do you have a topic Dr. Mike should cover in a future column? If so, please email questions@ GreatAgeReboot.com.