The rapid increase of coronavirus antibodies after the third dose within 1-3 days was pointed out by the emeritus professor of Pediatrics and chairman of the National Vaccination Committee, Maria Theodoridou, during the briefing on the national vaccination coverage plan.
As he pointed out, Covid disease is 3 times more common in unvaccinated people, hospitalization 2 times and death 7 times.
“The administration of the third installment has started from September 1. “48 hours ago the FDA approved the third dose and the CDC makes a strong recommendation to vaccinate people over the age of 50.”
Ms. Theodoridou stated that in a study involving 10,000 people, of whom 5,000 received two doses and the other 5,000 received the third dose, it was found that of those who had not received a third dose, 123 fell ill against 6 people from those who had also received the booster dose.
Regarding the side effects, he pointed out that the incidence of pericarditis was two cases in 1 million.
He added that the aim of the vaccines was to protect against serious illness and death and not to reduce the transmission of the virus. “A large number of studies concern the transmission of the virus from vaccinated people. They can transmit it, less often than unvaccinated, and the risk increases when there is a high viral load. “But they broadcast for a shorter period of time,” he noted. However, Ms. Theodoridou stressed that the level of chemical immunity, ie antibodies of the vaccinated, affects local immunity, such as the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, etc. and the reduction of antibodies over time is expected to make more easy to infect vaccinated.
“The administration of a third dose will make a decisive contribution to the prevention of contagious infection and the reduction of cases, as has been seen in Israel. The antibody growth time after the third dose is rapid, within 1-3 days, as it elicits a secondary immune response.
Regarding the physical disease, as shown by a study in people who took mild Covid 12 months ago, they seemed to maintain satisfactory neutralizing antibodies at different rates but for each mutation.
As he pointed out, there are disturbances in the antigen sequence, which leads to significant attenuation and reduced function of T cells. In fact, he stressed that the spread due to the Delta mutation increased the cases of re-infection.
“Immunity from physical disease seems to be weakening and is not the same for all people. “Disease and vaccination are considered to offer the best protection,” said the president of the National Vaccination Committee.
Finally, referring to the flu, he stated that there is a concentration of 965 strains of influenza viruses, a number more than ten times the rate we had last year and the predominant strains are: H3N2, H1V1 and type B. “The strains are close to pre-covid years . This year may be different. “2.3 million vaccines have been made and 300,000 vaccines have been prescribed but are waiting.”
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