Due to the spread of the Delta variant, experts suggest the hypothesis of a third dose of the vaccine for some categories of people.
The third dose of vaccine it is quite discussed and not all opinions agree on the usefulness of proceeding with a vaccine booster beyond the two doses already carried out. There are, however, those who argue that the third dose of the vaccine must be done, but not for everyone: here is who must already do it according to experts.
Who are the experts who want the third dose
The study comes from United States and was reported on the New York Times. Conducting the study are the scientific advisers of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – otherwise known by the acronym of Cdc – who report the issue of contagion risks in anticipation of the further spread of the disease. Delta variant.
The decision to submit certain categories of people to the third dose it would derive from well-declared data concerning the efficacy of the vaccine Pfizer. In fact, according to Israeli data, it seems that the effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine has been reduced from after six months from the second dose received, arriving 95% to 40%.
Who should do the third dose according to the experts
The risks for the contagion that would derive from a lower effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine six months after the second dose, they would suggest that a third dose is needed after that time.
The people involved who according to the experts should take the third dose are the over 65 and the immunosuppressed. With regard to this, also Pierpaolo Sileri, undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Health in the Draghi government, declared that fragile subjects would already need a third dose.
In the United States, people with cancer or HIV or immunosuppressed make up the 2.7% of the adult population and the fear is that these may remain vulnerable to infection. All the chronically ill would fall into this category and the debate among scientists is open.
And in Italy: who should take the third dose?
Italy also took action because the third dose of vaccine be evaluated as soon as possible for more fragile categories, as stated by the Undersecretary of Health, Pierpaolo Sileri. The concern also extends to nurses, doctors and healthcare professionals, as they were among the first to receive the vaccine and may need a third dose.
The rules established to date by the European Union Parliament set the total duration of the green pass obtained after the second dose at 9 months. According to statements by Pierpaolo Sileri, a third dose may be needed six months to a year after receiving the second.
What the Italian Society of General Medicine and Primary Care (Simg) says
Simg – Italian Society of General Medicine and Primary Care – argues, on the contrary, that a third dose of vaccine is not necessary and that the two administered are already useful in themselves to achieve total coverage even for variants.
What has been found so far from the experimentation – as he declares and explains Ignazio Grattagliano, member of Simg – is that even in immunosuppressed subjects, the third dose of vaccine does not increase the effectiveness of the first two. Ignazio Grattagliano suggests instead to find other ways of prevention in immunosuppressed and more fragile people, such as exploring the possibility of using the so-called anti-Spike monoclonal antibodies as a post-exposure to contagion.
