Professor Čaplinskas – on the third dose of the coronavirus vaccine: will it be necessary and will it be possible to change the vaccine?

The Ministry of Health (SAM), after evaluating the information provided by the IARC and taking into account the recommendations of the European Medicines Agency and the epidemiological situation in Lithuania, decided to continue vaccination with this vaccine in the same way as before.

However, young people who received the first dose of Vaxzevria have been asked whether Lithuania will be able to choose another coronavirus vaccine for revaccination if more data is available on suspected serious adverse reactions in young people.

“Vaccine manufacturers do not offer in their leaflets the possibility that the second dose of the vaccine is from another manufacturer. Nor is there a decision in our country that allows the population to choose a vaccine from another manufacturer. So there is still no such possibility, “SAM Chancellor Jurgita Grebenkovienė said Thursday.

Is it possible to choose a second dose of vaccine different from the first? The Delfi portal asked Saulius Čaplinskas, an infectious disease specialist.

“It seems not today,” said the professor. “There are no such recommendations yet, or it will be necessary to re-vaccinate a booster, in other words, two doses of that other vaccine will be needed again.”

According to S. Čaplinskas, it is still being investigated whether a second different dose of the vaccine can be chosen. The British have already started to make them. After these studies, the recommendations will be clearer.

According to the interviewee, although the second dose is still not likely to be chosen differently from the first, the third dose is likely to be chosen differently. It is true that so far there are no recommendations in this regard.

“In general, people should probably be advised to consult their doctor before vaccination and possibly monitor blood clotting parameters from a purely medical, virological and immunological point of view.

If someone has a problem with the blood clotting system, the indicators will be displayed. These people should be vaccinated in particular as they face very serious complications from COVID-19.

But it is necessary to evaluate very well which vaccine to choose and perhaps what preventive measures should be taken to avoid possible side effects after vaccination, ”said S. Čaplinskas.

Earlier, the interviewee almost certainly mentioned that a third dose would be needed. It is said that even after vaccination, the immunity will continue to weaken somewhat, so a revaccination will be necessary.

“It stands to reason that the later, but not too late, the second dose is given, the longer immunity will last after that.

This means that the third dose, which is already obvious to be unavoidable (it will be an immunity-boosting dose), can be given later. A little later, in the course of it, it will be seen: if it will be possible to spend 8, 9 or 12 months, “said the interlocutor.

When asked why young people are more likely to have a variety of blood clotting problems as an adverse reaction to the vaccine, the professor suggested that the causes could be varied: “One reason this happens to women. young women can be hormones. But this may not be the case only for young women. The reasons why blood clotting can change can be very different. It could be an infectious disease or something else; will be explained in the course.

Because the infection is new enough, although it has been studied a lot, as have vaccines against it, the further, the more will be known about it. It is good that these questions are being evaluated very carefully and that the research results are presented immediately, even before the so-called “peer review”. aut. past.) analysis. However, sometimes it turns out that a recommendation is made and then after better clarification, it is doubtful that it is too soon. “

Better to say that it is the coronavirus vaccine that causes blood clotting problems. But maybe vaccines against other infectious diseases also caused them, but not much was said about that?

“There was no such data,” the professor replied, adding: “But one thing must be understood that the coronavirus affects blood vessels.” It is the coronavirus spike protein that causes clots to form in a person with COVID-19. So it stands to reason that perhaps a vaccine, since it is present as a modified spike protein, could signal this to some people.

But again, if someone has such a blood clotting problem, they especially need the vaccine because if they get sick, it is more likely to become more difficult and may have clotting complications. And the complications of COVID-19 clots are much larger, more serious, and can be fatal compared to this vaccine option.