Whether or not to take the corona repeat shot
The second booster for over-60s was not very popular. But gradually there are reports of a new corona wave. What is wisdom if you are over 60 – go get that repeat shot anyway, or not?
Less than 25 percent of those in their sixties got the repeat shot. Many people gave up on it when the threat of serious corona disease had ebbed and the corona measures were scaled down. But now the infections are rising again. Still going to get that repeat shot, or not? We have collected the arguments for and against.
Do get:
…because there are more infections
More and more people are getting infected show the latest RIVM figures† Reports of positive tests are increasing, but testing at the GGD is no longer necessary, so we don’t actually know exactly how many people are infected. The measurements in the sewage water do give a picture of this. There, the virus particles increase considerably, according to measurements by the RIVM. More and more people have corona and pass it on to each other.
…because the hospitals can fill up again soon
Hospitals are not yet seeing an influx of covid patients, but that could change. For example, because the new variants of omikron turn out to be more pathogenic than we now hope. Hospitals are preparing for a new corona wave, as can be read in the Telegraaf.
…because a booster shot protects against hospitalization
RIVM has looked at the period 1 February to 31 May 2022. The conclusion: if you only have the basic set of vaccines, the protection was 23 percent. If you also got the booster, it was 77 percent. If you also got the repeat shot (or second booster), the protection was no less than 86 percent. This means that the chance that you will have to be hospitalized is 1.5 times smaller than for those who only received a booster vaccination. The second booster shot therefore provides extra protection against becoming seriously ill from the coronavirus.
…because with this you protect people with vulnerable health
The people who are now very ill due to corona are usually 70-plus. Virologist Ab Osterhaus says it clearly to the Telegraaf: “The virus is going around more and there is always a certain group that remains vulnerable and now has a greater chance of coming into contact with the virus. This mainly concerns people with a poorly functioning immune system, such as the elderly or people who have had a transplant. They are less protected against corona, while a vaccine or previous infection also offers less protection. You actually see the same in outbreaks as influenza.”
Do not get:
…because the risk of getting serious covid is small at the moment
The risk of ending up in hospital is currently small. In the last measured week, 312 people were hospitalized with covid (week 24), and the week before that (in week 23), which includes about twenty IC admissions, according to the RIVM. People who contract corona usually do not get nearly as sick as in the earlier phases of the epidemic. Especially if you already have some immunity due to vaccination and/or an infection.
…because the effectiveness of the vaccines is decreasing anyway
That is a pity: the effectiveness of the vaccines decreases after a few months. The figures presented by the RIVM on 7 June showed that the basic vaccination works less well after a few months, and that the effect of the first booster also decreases. You will probably not be there with a single repeat injection, it will have to be repeated over and over again. A shot every three months, that’s not a good idea. Is that really necessary, now that the hospitals are not as full as before? Wouldn’t it be better to wait for the new vaccines that are designed not only against the delta variant, but also against the omikron or other new variants?
Conclusion: to do or not?
A repeat shot is a good idea for your own health, the health of more vulnerable relatives and to counter the scenario of new corona measures. But there are certainly downsides, such as the limited duration of the vaccines, while the risk is not so great now. What to do? Minister Ernst Kuipers gives advice in a tweet: ’60+ people get the repeat shot less often than the basic series, while we see infections and hospital admissions increase. It is important that they do get the shot, because that way you have less chance of serious illness or hospitalization.’
Want to read more arguments? Click on this website of doctor Ted van Essen, known from Max TV.
