Aifa’s green light for the fourth dose of vaccine for the “frail”, in particular the immunosuppressed, affects an audience of about 3 million Italians with health problems who could therefore suffer the heaviest consequences of a Covid infection.
What is immunosuppression?
It is the condition that occurs when the immune system works less than normal or does not work at all. at all. It is a condition that can be triggered by disease or it can be congenital.
Physical examination, medical history, white blood cell count, T cell count, and immunoglobulin count are essential to diagnose it.
The immunosuppressed person is therefore a person who has poor immune defenses or who does not have them at all and who therefore risks becoming infected or ill with tumors more easily.
fourth dose
In reality it is improper to speak of a “fourth dose”: it is a booster at the end of the primary cycle (2 doses plus an additional one); mRna vaccines will be used.
According to Minister Speranza, the fourth dose for the immunocompromised will start in March (120 days after
previous), «but we will have to evaluate the recall for everyone after the summer. It is to be considered probable, because the virus –
he reiterates again – he does not shake hands and goes away forever ».
The fourth dose Of vaccine it is already applied in some countries. In Israel it is administered to about 3 thousand people a day, while in Sweden it is recommended for people over 80.
‼️ EMA’s regular press briefing on #COVID19 vaccines and treatments will be broadcast live ???? today, 18 January, from 16:00 to 16:30 CET. #EMAPresser
????https://t.co/O0RYhquSWY pic.twitter.com/5nKpbZhcKL— EU Medicines Agency (@EMA_News) January 18, 2022
The seasonal vaccine: the strategy
Fourth dose of Covid vaccine
Meanwhile, the debate continues on the real effectiveness and risks of the fourth booster with current vaccines. A review of EMA’s scientific studies, “found no increased risk of complications after mRna Covid vaccine in pregnancy, for spontaneous abortions, for preterm births or adverse effects in unborn children ».
New data mRNA vaccine 4th dosehttps://t.co/s7Odxdk8hd
—HCW, 154 Pfizer, 120 Moderna, + control group
—Increase in antibodies > 3rd dose
—Little effect on Omicron cases
—No data yet for ? severe disease, memory B/T cells, higher or more durable protection
—Uncertain benefit/need— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) January 18, 2022
Israeli health authorities have announced that they will continue to administer the fourth dose of the vaccine (already given to over half a million people) against the coronavirus even though preliminary studies have confirmed that the increase in antibodies is not sufficient to protect against the Omicron variant. “The growth in antibody levels that we see with Moderna and Pfizer is slightly higher than what we have seen after the third dose of the vaccine,” says Gili Regev-Yochay, director of the infectious disease unit at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv, who conducted the research. «Despite the increase in the level of antibodies, the fourth dose offers only a partial defense against the virus» – explains the professor – «we have seen many people infected with Omicron after the fourth dose. A little less than in the control group, but always a lot ». According to Regev-Yochay, “the vaccine is excellent against alpha and delta variants, but not good enough for omicron.”
Where did the administration start
In Europe, administrations have already started in Spain, Hungary (the first European country) and Denmark. In the United States, experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have indicated the desirability of another booster for those who are immunocompromised five months after the third dose.
The debate
Experts are divided on the fourth dose of the vaccine. «Do the booster every 4 months? I would not take it so for granted – said the president of the Superior Health Council Franco Locatelli -. Only the timing of well-conducted observations and investigations will tell us if there will be this need. If anything, the discussion on the fourth dose could concern the frail ». The virologist is negative I pray: «You can’t go on making doses. In the meantime, we will see the data from Israel, because there are doubts that anticipating too much there will not be a great result in terms of coverage ». Giovanni Maga, director of the molecular genetics institute of the CNR, explained that “it is difficult to think of an overload of the immune system, but stimulating it with the same antigen I do not think can be the optimal solution also because the virus varies”.
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