As of April 1, the country began the application of the second reinforcement o fourth vaccine to people over 50 years of age and to risk groups. In the world, on the other hand, it is debated whether it should be placed the entire population.
Six months after the application of the dose from reinforcement against him covid-19 and when its coverage does not reach 40%, the Ministry of Health began on April 1 the administration of a fourth dose of the vaccine.
This second reinforcement is placed in people over 50 years of age, over 12 years of age with immunosuppression moderate or severe and prioritized populationamong which are health personnel, firefighters, police, Armed Forces, among others.
The Ministry’s guideline for the application of this second reinforcement cites a study in Israel that determined that four to five months after the third dose, the application of a fourth improves the immune response and restores the antibodies to maximum levels. Initially, this dose is intended for the groups mentioned, however, at a given time it will spread to the entire population.
The Minister of Health, Ximena Garzón, said – in her latest report – that all those who have reached five months “we will have to get vaccinated until one for the endemic disease appears or is marketed on the market.” According to her, this biological It’s in growth and possibly will be available between august y September. It will become annual or similar to the one placed against influenza, that is, seasonal.
“Until then, we will continue to vaccinate every five months to ensure that the population is protected,” Garzón commented.
A prioritized dose
For the epidemiologist Washington Alemán, the fourth dose is beneficial for vulnerable groups and of risk since it protects them from A serious illness and even death. However, he said he, a lot of information is handled for and against regarding his application in all the population.
On the 6th of this month, the European Medicines Agency stated that it is “too soon” to think about the administration of a fourth dose of mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) in the general population, although it supports their use in older adults due to the high risk of developing severe covid-19.
Similarly, they did not find that the protection contra severe cases is “substantially declining in adults with normal immune systems.”
The epidemiologist Fabián Oña and the teacher and researcher Alberto Narváez agreed that the evidence support the placement of a second booster to the entire population is still scarce.
According to Oña, it could be counterproductive and generate rejection in some people, in addition to continuing to use the same vaccine. Rather, he said, the population should be encouraged to take the third dose which has slowed down compared to the first and second vaccines.
Narváez also highlighted the importance of advancing with the first booster since there is evidence that a third dose increases the effectiveness against contagion, severe illness or death to 80%.
One of the benefits
According to Narvaez, a study showed that reinforcement shortens the time that the covid persists. He explained that the persistence of symptoms after 12 weeks of illness is very common and quite serious and with the booster this period is shortened.
Aleman insisted on protecting older adults e immunocompromised since for more antibodies they have, the disease can cause a serious picture.
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