Third Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine: How to Set the Limit When It’s Already Needed

According to the Lithuanian Department of Statistics, 59.2% have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. people. Regarding the statistics of adults, 69.7 percent have been vaccinated. population over 18 years of age.

And while the number of diseases continues to rise rapidly, with the highest rates of illness and hospital admissions, Lithuanian authorities and experts do not hide their ambition not only to achieve even higher vaccination rates, but also to speak openly about the third dose. reinforcement. as inevitable in risk groups and, subsequently, in all others. But why do you need such a dose, if you have said before that you are “vaccinated and calm”? Specialists are criticizing the results of the investigation and are not ruling out the possibility that we will soon have another wave of fighting.

After half a year, only traces of antibodies remain.

Speaking on the Delfi program, Deputy Minister of Health Živilė Simonaitytė emphasized that the need for the third vaccination has not been broken: everything is based on research in the Santara clinics, as well as data from residents of nursing homes : the medical and nursing staff were the first to receive the first vaccines, so it is natural that they also receive 3 doses.

“We have information on the levels of antibodies in these groups of people”, Ž. Simonaitytė, noting that the level of antibodies began to decrease significantly six months after vaccination, so a stimulant dose was needed to maintain immunity.

“It is clear from the beginning that the booster dose will be necessary after a while, the next is when? It is impossible and unlikely to tell everyone exactly.

But the general principles are clear: after 76 days, the antibodies begin to decrease and after half a year only traces remain, and for some they may not form, so it is important not to be late, ”said Professor Saulius Čaplinskas, specialist in secondary infectious diseases.

He recognized that this was a medical reason, but there were also political reasons: not all countries, not even all EU countries, have enough vaccines like Lithuania to vaccinate them with at least the first dose of sufficient population, so it has not There have been clear recommendations for third doses, which have so far been avoided by international organizations.

But, for example, the US Center for Communicable Diseases, according to Chaplinsky, has already made it clear that the third dose will not be necessary after 8 months, as initially thought, but after six. For some, the amount of antibodies goes down even faster.

Weakened immunity is a threat to the fourth wave

On the other hand, the professor acknowledged that such a situation also means that already with the increasing number of diseases, and especially considering the unfavorable weather conditions, a new wave of COVID-19 is likely, similar to the one that affected Lithuania last fall. and since then, hundreds of people have died from the disease in just a few months. That is, in a dramatic situation, certain restrictions that some people have already become accustomed to cannot be ruled out.

“It just came to our knowledge then. One of the main tools is vaccines, we are talking about a stimulant dose, let’s use that tool so we don’t have to shut down,” said Ž. Simonaitytė.

On the other hand, it is paradoxical that both unvaccinated and vaccinated and vaccinated individuals may be involved in the spread of the virus, but the contribution can vary. Therefore, according to S. Čaplinskas, it is important not to forget that vaccination is only one of the protective measures.

“Yes, the fourth wave can be caused not only by unvaccinated people, but also by vaccinated people. Especially if immunity is not developed and if they behave irresponsibly, for example, they will not isolate themselves if they feel the symptoms.

After all, it has been clearly shown that some vaccinated or relapsed people, as long as they get a high dose of the virus again, excrete as much as they have not been vaccinated or have not been sick in the first five days. But after that, the concentration of the virus in their body drops drastically, after that they will be less contagious and they will get sick more easily, “noted the specialist.

Without the third dose, without the possibility of a passport?

However, it is not yet clear how many people will need the third dose; Until now, the amount of antibodies can only be found in preventive tests, which are free, or by buying paid antibody test samples, which cost between a few and a few euros.

According to Professor S. Čaplinskas, the ability of people to know the state of their struggle – if they are sick, how much they have antibodies is no less important than the complex protective measures that are still seen through the fingers: for example, indoors ventilation, proper use of masks. However, according to the deputy minister of SAM, free antibody tests for the whole society are not practical, but technically complicated.

“We have enough research on several thousand health and nursing personnel to see what the trends are and that a third dose is needed,” he said. Also, Ž. According to Simonaitytė, it is not yet planned to change the vaccination strategy; as it was, it will remain, since it will hardly succeed in convincing the field of opponents of the large vaccines, and if about 60 percent. Lithuania was vaccinated with one dose, which is expected to be vaccinated, and the second and third booster doses.

“If we compare our culture of vaccination with Western countries, no matter what vaccines we are talking about, then in Lithuania that culture of vaccination and prevention has never been very good. So when it comes to vaccinations against vaccines, we must fight on two fronts: change people’s attitude towards vaccines in general and take care that the pandemic does not spread, ”said Ž. Simonaitytė.

However, it is no secret that mass vaccination in Lithuania started only when more details about the opportunity passport and its benefits were published, because the opportunity passport opens the way for some to visit favorite places or move freely, while for others it is just an opportunity to work.

And while the deputy minister has made it clear that, at least for now, there are no plans to change the procedure to obtain or renew a passport, which can be given to people who are ill, have a negative test or have been vaccinated with the number required dose.

“At this stage, it is too early to talk about the possible scenarios because the virus is mutating, those situations and circumstances are changing, and unfortunately we have to accept the reality that planning for the long-term future is difficult due to information. more recent. But I would not really reject that option “, Ž. Simonaitytė.

“The key message is that the virus is not protected by an EU passport or digital certificate, but by a vaccine,” he added. S. Čaplinskas, who followed her, did not rule out the possibility that more than one booster dose is needed. But there are good news.

“Today, the US Center for Communicable Diseases predicts that after a booster or other booster dose, it is likely that it will not be needed every year, as in the case of influenza, because immunity is likely to build up and especially immune memory cells, “Chaplinsky noted. .