Third dose of the Covid vaccine, all about the debate in Europe
Third dose of the Covid vaccine? Facts, analyzes, foreign examples and controversies
The Ministry of Health is considering whether to organize the administration of the third dose of the Pfizer vaccine . In the first place, it could affect frail people, immunosuppressed people and even health workers who were the first to be vaccinated at the end of last year. “ It is a decision that needs to be well thought out , probably the most fragile and immunosuppressed people will have a third dose but we have not yet decided when – says the director of prevention of the Ministry of Health, Gianni Rezza -. On the third dose there is indecision because there is not yet strong evidence to be able to say that we will do it to everyone rather than to some ".
Andrea Crisanti: "We are on unknown ground"
Also in Italy, therefore, the debate on the third dose of the vaccine has begun. "Israel has started to administer it and in a month or a month and a half we will have enough data to understand its impact – commented Andrea Crisanti , full professor of microbiology at the University of Padua, to Agorà Estate, on Rai Tre . We are in unknown territory , as data accumulates, certain things become legitimate and practicable. We cannot invent whether to take the third or fourth dose ". The data remain the most important element to trace the road "otherwise it is improvised and in public health it is not possible to improvise", concluded Crisanti.
The indecisions of the EMA
The EMA has expressed itself on the subject of the third dose, underlining that at the moment "it is too early to confirm if and when a booster dose will be needed, because there is not yet enough data from the vaccination campaigns". Even the WHO is not unbalanced also in consideration of the need to think of poor countries that have not yet started the campaign of administering the first doses of the vaccine.
The third dose of Pfizer head of Israeli state Isaac Herzog
Head of State Isaac Herzog and his wife Michal, in the presence of Premier Bennett, were among the first volunteers in the campaign for the administration of the third dose of Pfizer vaccine in Israel. "The fight against Covid is global – said Premier Bennett -. Only together can we win. Israel is ready to share its knowledge ”.
The vaccine for the elderly Israelis
The decision, announced by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett , came after weeks of discussion among experts: Israel will be the first country in the world to proceed with the recall, although there is still no FDA approval. Polls indicate that Israelis are confident in the choice, 72% said they will undergo the third injection . In the country, about 4,000 immunosuppressed people have received the booster in the last few weeks, without reporting any side effects.
Arnon Shahar: "This is not the first time we anticipate the FDA"
The doubts of the experts relate to the possibility of waiting for the production of a new version of the Pfizer vaccine adapted to the new variants. " It was not a light decision – says Arnon Shahar, Covid manager for the Maccabi health insurance fund -, but it is not the first time that we anticipate the FDA, as it was with the choice to inoculate pregnant women, children under 16 and now even under 12 with previous illnesses ". The decision to proceed immediately was motivated by the increase in infections in the country since the beginning of June, even among the vaccinated.
The decline in vaccine efficacy with the Delta variant
According to the latest data from the Israeli Ministry of Health, the vaccine's effectiveness in preventing Delta variant infections has dropped to 40%. The decline was found above all among the over 60s who were the first to get vaccinated. " We see an increase in infections in the fourth wave – added Shahar -, but the curve of seriously ill patients does not grow exponentially, thanks to vaccines". Israel has also reintroduced the Green Pass, removed in early June, only vaccinated, cured or those with a negative swab will be able to access gatherings of over 100 people, cultural events, indoor restaurants, gyms, places of worship.
More antibodies with the third dose: Pfizer's promises
Pharmaceutical company Pfizer said a third dose of its vaccine provides additional protection against the delta variant of Covid-19, the most infectious to date and which is leading the new wave of hospitalizations and deaths . The antibody levels after the third dose are significantly higher . The US group and its German partner Biontech plan to "publish more definitive data on the analysis" of ongoing studies on the so-called 'booster' dose, which should be administered at least 6 months after the end of the first vaccination cycle. "All data – they assure – will be shared with the American and European regulatory agencies FDA and EMA , and other regulatory authorities in the coming weeks".
The campaign for the third dose in Europe
Despite the indecisions of the EMA, Europe is running for cover to have a stock of vaccines in order to proceed with the third dose. “We are concluding a third agreement with Pfizer for 1.8 billion doses and with Moderna for 150 million vials that will be needed if a third dose is needed, or to combat variants, a spokesman for the Commission said.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/sanita/terza-dose-vaccino-anti-covid-tutto-sul-dibattito-in-europa/ on Sun, 01 Aug 2021 17:46:38 +0000.