The boost has not yet been proven effective
In Israel, everyone aged 12 and older is now offered an additional corona vaccine, after full vaccination. Do we get that in the Netherlands too? The Health Council is currently considering this question. Read the 5 facts here.
1. The effectiveness of the vaccines decreases
New data from Israel have shown that the effect is indeed declining. Shortly after vaccination with the Pfizer vaccine, the protection against infection and disease is over 90 percent, but that drops to 40 percent after a few months. The cause is probably the delta variant and declining immunity. Completely vaccinated elderly people end up in hospital again. British research also shows that the protection of various vaccines against the delta variant decreases after a few months.
2. Several countries have already decided on a third vaccine
Israel has already started giving a third vaccine to everyone from 12 years old. Preparations are now also being made in the United States for additional vaccinations in September. Several EU countries are planning to follow suit. However, the WHO thinks it is still too early.
3. The WHO is against an additional vaccine, right now
According to the WHO, there is still too little evidence that an additional vaccine works for vaccinated people. In addition, many people in poorer countries have not yet been vaccinated at all. They should first receive the available vaccines, before the stock is exhausted again. This helps to give new dangerous variants less room to strike. The WHO therefore calls on the richer countries not to use the vaccines for a boost yet.
4. An additional vaccine has not been proven to work
It is currently under investigation, but studies in, among others, Science show that the immune system does indeed respond well to an additional vaccine. But there is no real proof yet. However, Ruud Coolen van Brakel of the Dutch Institute for Responsible Medicine Use warns about this against EenVandaag: ‘There is simply no proof of the effectiveness of such a booster. All we know is that people who use drugs that suppress their own immune system – for example after an organ transplant – have an increase in their antibody count after a third shot. But they were already insufficiently protected with those two shots.’
Coolen van Brakel argues that attention should first be focused on the 2 million adult Dutch people who have not yet had a vaccine.
5. People With Weakened Immune System
The first studies therefore show that a booster vaccine for people with a weakened immune system has added value. More studies are now underway into the effect of an additional vaccine in certain groups of patients. Think of people with kidney failure, a transplanted organ or people undergoing heavy therapies against cancer. It is estimated that no fewer than 700,000 Dutch people are in such a situation. Two shots are not enough for them. They may need a third, or maybe even a fourth vaccine, but that needs to be explored further. However, there is still a group for whom vaccination is not possible. These people do not build up an immune system after a shot. They can only be protected by vaccinating the people around them. Read more about vaccination for people with a weakened immune system here.
Note: this is an older post. The Health Council has now issued an advisory report on the additional corona vaccine.
