The assessment that most countries will adopt the boosting dose of the Covid-19 vaccine both as protection against natural infection and from serious illness and death, said Professor of Infectious Diseases Pathology Sotiris Tsiodras, in his opening speech at the 34th Panhellenic Annual Conference of the Diabetological Society of Northern Greece. He noted that although immunity to the vaccine decreases over time, those vaccinated are protected from serious illness or even death.
Mr. Tsiodras also mentioned that as time passes from the vaccination, the possibility of getting infected and getting sick increases and that those who have underlying diseases and are old are usually seriously ill. “It is important to understand that immunity to infection is reduced, but protection against serious infection and death is maintained. “Not only is the protection maintained, but it is enhanced if we do the booster dose, which protects 11 times from the confirmed infection and about 20 times from the serious infection or even death”, said Mr. Tsiodras.
He pointed out that it is extremely important for someone with a history of the disease to get vaccinated, adding: in winter- and this year of course. “The likelihood of someone who has had the infection becoming infected again increases around three months after the highest antibody titer, and by 16 months, of course, a large percentage of people who have had the virus become infected again.” He also noted that in our country a percentage of 20% of people over the age of 60 are not vaccinated and usually these people are at high risk.
He also said that recently, in the United States, one of the two companies producing vaccines against Covid asked the FDA to approve the booster dose for all adults over the age of 18, citing data from a large study of 10,000 participants.
Regarding the vaccination of younger children, he said that models from the FDA and the CDC have been introduced in the United States, according to which children between the ages of 5 and 11 who are vaccinated are less likely to get an infection, disease and less hospitalization. vaccination of these ages. In Europe, the European Medicines Agency started the review for the Pfizer vaccine on 18/10 and recently for the Moderna vaccine, and in two months it will have decided to give it to children aged 5-11.
Mr. Tsiodras said that this winter there will be interactions with other viruses and stressed that it is very important to get the flu vaccine in November. As for the new drugs, he noted that they have already been approved in the United Kingdom in the last week and transnational agreements are being made for their use. He added that it may be expensive but it is less expensive than other promotional therapies and that if administered in the first few days, there is a 50% reduction in hospitalizations.
Mr. Tsiodras predicted that the evolution of the virus will affect in the short term what will happen. “Right now, it’s important that we do not have variants for serious illness and death to escape. However, immunity is declining and this is important and I think it will eventually lead most countries to adopt a third dose as protection not only from natural infection – I think it is impossible to eradicate transmission – but also from serious disease and death, “he said. At the same time, he recommended the observance of measures, such as the use of a mask indoors, the hygiene of the hands and the increased control with tests that together with the vaccination will help to pass a very difficult winter, where according to the forecasts of the European CDC there will be large waves.
Mr. Tsiodras noted that these waves will have as few effects as possible, if they have vaccination coverage over 75% of the population and even smaller, if the coverage exceeds 85%.
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