Outbreaks in residential care centers have become rare, now that the vaccination campaign there has been over for some time. But in mid-May there was a major outbreak in the Nos Tayons residential care center in Nivelles, in Walloon Brabant. 95 percent of residents had been vaccinated with Pfizer, yet half of the 119 residents became infected. Research shows that both the Alfa (known as the British) and the Delta variant (the Indian) were doing the rounds. Ultimately, 12 residents died. They would all have been vaccinated.
How could that be? This is now being fully investigated by a team led by virologist Emmanuel André. For example, the virus samples will be examined, but also the air quality and the way in which the vaccines were stored and administered in the residential care center. “This is an isolated case and we want to keep it that way,” said a spokesman for the Walloon health institute AVIQ.
“It is really important that people who come into contact with the elderly in residential care centers are fully vaccinated”
“It is indeed strange,” says virologist Johan Neyts in ‘The World Today’. “A residential care center is a special environment, people live close to each other. We also know from the first wave that the spread can go very quickly once the virus has arrived. The Delta variant (the Indian one, ed.) is also a difficult animal. That variant is much more contagious than the British, while the British was also more contagious than the original variant. I don’t like to see the Delta variant appear in residential care centers.”
Neyts also does not know exactly how this could have happened. “People who have been vaccinated twice have a protection of 90 to 95 percent, which is of course not 100 percent. That percentage is also calculated on the average population. Here you are with old frail people, who we know have less immune systems. than among young people.”
“In addition, it also appears that some staff members are not vaccinated or are not fully vaccinated,” says Neyts. This concerns 75 percent of the staff who have been vaccinated and there are still a few who have only received one shot. “It is really important that people who come into contact with the elderly in residential care centers are fully vaccinated, because the staff moves from ward to ward and can thus spread the virus.”
The virologist hopes that this is an exception and that this will not happen more often. “The Vaccination Task Force is currently also looking at whether the elderly should receive a third dose of the vaccine and when that would be the best time. On the other hand, we must also fully vaccinate the young people as soon as possible, because it is precisely where the virus can still circulate. We must remain cautious until everyone is fully vaccinated.”
Listen to the conversation with Johan Neyts in ‘The World Today’ via Radio 1 Select
Source: vrtnws.be and ‘The World Today’
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