The first repeated shots were taken in mid-September. People with a higher risk of getting sick are invited first. It concerns the over 60s, the people who get the flu shot every year, and then it’s the turn of the health workers. After that, anyone over 12 years of age can make an appointment for the repeat shot.
The injections are supposed to give the immune system a boost, so that people are better protected in the event of a new corona wave. RIVM noted last week that this wave has officially begun. Meanwhile, not all high-risk groups have yet had a chance to give it a try. Right now it’s the turn of people born in 1959 or earlier.
More than 1100 people admitted
The number of people hospitalized for a corona infection is rapidly increasing. Hospitals are currently treating 1,126 people who tested positive, the highest number since July 20. The National Coordination Center for Patient Distribution (LPCS) announced these figures today.
Last Friday the counter stood at 962 hospitalized: so this weekend 164 more people were hospitalized than those who left the hospital. This is the biggest weekend hike since mid-March.
RIVM indicates that the campaign is scheduled. “We followed the advice of the WTO,” a spokesperson said. “You don’t want to be too close to the previous shot and you don’t want to vaccinate too early, which can cause immunity to drop again.”
Start of the wave
According to the spokesperson, we are not too late, even if the wave has already begun. “This may be the time to vaccinate. We are relatively at the beginning. We are not at the maximum level.”
According to the RIVM, this too is difficult to predict. “The autumn wave was expected, but we don’t know when and how high the peak will come. So you have to protect people at the right time,” says the spokesperson.
WUR immunologist Huub Savelkoul agrees. “The wave has just begun. If you get a repeat shot now, you are optimally protected between the seventh and tenth day. You will stay that way, depending on your age and health, for at least six months,” says Savelkoul. “We won’t reach that peak in two weeks. So if you vaccinate now, you’ll be fine in time.”
Other variations
But what Savelkoul is concerned about is the vaccine being used for the repeat shot. The government has vaccines adapted to the current variants of the virus. There are vaccines against the BA.1 sub-variant and newer vaccines that have already been adapted to BA.4 / 5.
During the injection, no distinction is made between vaccines. The vaccines that arrived first are the first to be prepared, according to the ministry. Savelkoul immunologist likes to see things differently. “The BA.1 variant caused several infections earlier this year. We now have another variant (BA.4 / 5) spreading.”
Since the BA.1 vaccines came first, the vulnerable group now being called in for repeat injection would then be vaccinated with them. “I hate that you are throwing vaccines for the most vulnerable people who you know are not the best. And you already have something better.”
This does not mean that the shot still aimed at BA.1 offers no protection. “It protects. But what’s enough for whom? It doesn’t really matter to the general population, so I’d say you have to change your mind: give the vulnerable the best vaccine.”
More effective than the old vaccines
The ministry indicates that the differences between the omikron sub-variants are very small and that therefore the vaccines do not differ much. “The bivalent BA.1 and BA.4 / 5 vaccines should both be more effective against the variants of the virus now in circulation than the monovalent vaccines.” Bivalent means bivalent, in other words: the latest vaccines protect against both the omikron variant and the original virus.
Extensive protection
But whatever vaccine is injected, RIVM is convinced that the current vaccination campaign ensures that we can effectively fight the autumn wave. “Whether it’s BA.1 or BA.4 / 5, vaccines should provide broad protection against serious disease,” the spokesperson said.
