The big question: vaccination now and how effective will it be in the fall?

“It is difficult to say exactly how effective it is, but it will definitely be effective. Because certain cross-reactions remain and will remain. As you can already see, people who have never been exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus make their immune systems respond to this virus. 40 to 60 percent have this property.

s means that they have been exposed to other related coronaviruses, but the remaining antibodies against other coronaviruses are not enough to protect against the new coronavirus that causes COVID 19 disease.

Since there will only be mutations, partial protection will continue to exist, ”said S. Čaplinskas in an interview with Lietuvos Rytas television.

According to the professor, it can be concluded that the further away, the more people will have acquired one or another immunity, and the less room there will be for the virus to spread rapidly, even to mutate.

“It is likely that in a couple of three years it will probably weaken and become a seasonal coronavirus like other coronaviruses.” Like the flu or other viruses that cause colds, ”said S. Čaplinskas.

Vaccination reduces the chance of infection.

Another relevant question is what is the probability that vaccinated people continue to carry the virus.

“A month ago, it would have been more difficult to answer this question. Now it can be clearly answered that after vaccination with any vaccine, depending on the group of people studied, between 70 and 90 percent (possibly less) of the people vaccinated have found positive PCR results over time. (…)

Research data show that in practice one hundred percent. the vaccine protects all vaccinated people from death. The percentages protect against severe forms of the disease in a number of ways, usually a much higher percentage than against infection. Protects against infection from 60% to 90%, depending on the vaccine that is vaccinated. Similarly, it can reduce the chance that the virus will start to multiply in the airways of a vaccinated person. That probability decreases very significantly, “said S. Čaplinskas.

Astra Zeneca: It is difficult to know who is right

According to the specialist, it would be irresponsible to comment on which countries have chosen the appropriate vaccination strategies against Astra Zeneca.

“There is a clearly established link that, in very very rare cases, there is a link between serious complications that, in some cases, even end in death after vaccination. But the full pathogenesis is still unclear to answer why it developed one way or another. There are several scientific speculations, including why women, perhaps, are more concerned with contraceptives, hormonal problems.

But the chances of becoming seriously ill and dying from coronavirus are incomparably higher than with such complications. There are already political decisions here, some countries are committed to some, others to others ”, said S. Čaplinskas.

He stressed that neither European medicines nor the World Health Organization had made categorical recommendations on whether vaccination with this vaccine should be limited to certain categories of people.