| Last month, I went to a nearby CVS, rolled up my sleeve, and got another Covid shot. Then, I went online to see how many other people did, too. The news was grim: So far, less than 5% of US adults have gotten the latest Covid vaccine. Analysts at Jefferies expect this year's Covid immunization rate will end up being even lower than last year, when just 23% of Americans got the updated shot. The dismal vaccination rate isn't shocking. More than four years since the pandemic arrived, many people have vaccine fatigue and may not want to deal with the unpleasant side effects that can come with the shot. That's despite growing alarm over the potential impact of developing long Covid. Experts are particularly concerned by signs of apathy among the most vulnerable population. Just under half of US adults aged 50 and older said they were likely to get the new Covid vaccine this fall, according to a recent survey from the University of Michigan. "You want that number to be higher," says Preeti Malani, a University of Michigan infectious disease professor who worked on the survey. "It means a lot of people are going to be vulnerable to complications if they end up getting Covid." As of Sept. 20, Pfizer had captured 56% of the Covid vaccine market, Moderna had 41% and Novavax — with the only shot that doesn't use mRNA technology — had about 3%. To get more people vaccinated, Malani suggests making the process as convenient as getting a flu shot, which many adults can get at their workplace. "If they can offer Covid shots at the same time, that will help," she says. Besides convenience, cost may also explain why more people get flu shots than Covid shots. Insurers and government health programs generally cover both types of shots. But for those without coverage, Covid shots can be more expensive. "With Covid, I think one of the things that had worked is that the vaccine was free, and now it's not free," said Yvonne Maldonado, a Stanford University professor of global health and infectious diseases. A US government program providing 1.5 million free COVID shots for uninsured and underinsured people ran out at the end of August. Uninsured people are more likely to go without vaccination — and suffer the consequences, Maldonado said. If everyone got their Covid and flu shots at the same time, that would boost Covid vaccination rates. Studies show it's safe to get both during the same visit, though it may increase the chances of mild reactions like fatigue, headache and muscle aches. To make Covid vaccinations even more convenient, companies like Moderna and Pfizer hope to someday combine them with flu shots. "We've done a good job with flu shots," Malani says. "You can get them anywhere. Covid is a little harder. It takes a bit of motivation to get it."— Gerry Smith and Rthvika Suvarna | 
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