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Which age groups and racial/ethnic communities had the highest rates of remaining unvaccinated after variant-specific booster rollout?
Executive summary
Available reporting shows younger adults and children had lower uptake of recent COVID/variant‑specific boosters, with one estimate saying just 11% of Americans aged 18–29 received a vaccine in the 2024–25 season and Medicare beneficiaries 65+ had about 27.8% coverage for the updated 2024–25 vaccine as of Feb 2025 [1] [2]. Racial/ethnic differences are described inconsistently across pieces: Latino adults were reported as having lower booster uptake (~15%), and multiple sources note non‑White and Hispanic populations had higher COVID positivity and persistent vaccination disparities [1] [3] [4].
1. Youth and young adults — the biggest gap in booster uptake
Journalistic accounts highlight that young people were the least likely to get the seasonal/variant‑specific boosters: CNN reported only 11% of Americans aged 18–29 received a vaccine during the 2024–25 season, the lowest of any adult age group, and contrasted this with much higher initial uptake early in the pandemic [1]. That statistic frames the age group with the highest share remaining unvaccinated after the booster rollout in available reporting.
2. Older adults — moderate uptake but room to improve
By contrast, older adults — the group public health experts emphasize as most at risk — show higher but still incomplete booster coverage. A 2025 synopsis cited Medicare fee‑for‑service beneficiaries aged 65+ with coverage of 27.8% for the updated 2024–25 vaccine as of February 2025, indicating substantial numbers remained unboosted [2]. Public health guidance nevertheless continues to prioritize vaccination for adults 65 and older because they remain most likely to be hospitalized or die from COVID [5] [6].
3. Latino and Hispanic communities — lower booster rates and higher positivity
Reporting flags Latino adults as having notably lower booster uptake: CNN reported Latino adults’ vaccination rate around 15% during the 2024–25 season and suggested part of that gap reflects a younger age distribution but also possible policy and access factors [1]. Separately, New York City data showed Hispanic ethnicity was independently associated with higher SARS‑CoV‑2 positivity during a prior wave (adjusted OR 1.53), a pattern that aligns with communities facing higher exposure and lower vaccination in some analyses [3].
4. Non‑White communities and racial disparities — mixed metrics but consistent concern
Multiple sources underline persistent racial and ethnic disparities without a single, unified ranking. The NYC study found “non‑White” race and Hispanic ethnicity were independent risk factors for positivity [3]. CDC monitoring and vaccine‑coverage analyses documented continuing disparities in childhood vaccination by race/ethnicity and other social determinants [4]. News summaries and KFF reporting also describe uneven uptake across racial/ethnic groups, though precise booster‑specific percentages for each group are not consistently provided in the available sources [2] [7].
5. Children and kindergarteners — falling routine coverage raises vulnerability
Child vaccination coverage for routine vaccines has declined and measles and other risks have risen; KFF estimated about 286,000 kindergarteners were unvaccinated for required vaccines in 2024–25, and CDC data linked most 2024 measles cases to people who were unvaccinated or had unknown status [7] [4]. While these items focus on routine childhood immunizations and outbreaks, they signal that young children represent a significant unvaccinated population for vaccine‑preventable respiratory diseases overall; specific variant‑booster figures for children in the sources are sparse or not reported [7] [4].
6. Reasons and competing explanations — hesitancy, policy changes, access
Reporting attributes low booster uptake among younger adults and some racial/ethnic groups to a mix of factors: perceived low risk in young people (“invincibility”), confusion from conflicting federal recommendations, misinformation beliefs tied to unvaccinated status, demographic age structures (e.g., Latinos skew younger), and policy shifts that narrowed eligibility for some updated vaccines [1] [8]. FactCheck and public health sources stress clinicians and targeted outreach remain crucial for protecting high‑risk groups such as older adults, pregnant people, and very young children [6] [5].
7. Limitations, data gaps, and what’s not in the record
Available sources do not present a single, comprehensive table listing the “highest rates of remaining unvaccinated” by both age and detailed racial/ethnic group after the variant‑specific booster rollout; estimates are scattered across news analyses, KFF summaries, CDC briefs, and academic studies, each with different populations and timeframes [1] [2] [3] [4]. Precise booster uptake for every race/ethnicity and age bracket nationally after the 2024–25 or 2025 booster campaigns is not found in current reporting provided here [2] [6].
8. Bottom line for readers and policymakers
Synthesizing available reporting: young adults (especially 18–29) and children account for large shares of the unvaccinated after recent booster rollouts, Latino/Hispanic communities and broader non‑White groups show lower uptake or higher positivity in multiple sources, and older adults — though prioritized — still have incomplete booster coverage [1] [2] [3] [4]. Policymakers seeking to raise protection should target outreach to younger adults, Latino communities, and areas with declining childhood vaccination, while recognizing the patchwork nature of the available data and that more granular, nationally consistent booster‑by‑race‑and‑age statistics are not present in the sources reviewed [1] [7] [2].