The UK is already planning next winter for the elderly and vulnerable people to be vaccinated with the third dose of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine from September.
The government says a final decision has not yet been made, but, According to Reuters, Arrangements have already been made in preventive mode.
The British Vaccine Group has warned of the need for an additional vaccination program that focuses on people over the age of 70, social workers and those with autoimmune and infectious diseases.
According to the same group, in order to expand immunity against the two major threats this winter, people over the age of 50 need to be vaccinated with the flu vaccine. A decision to vaccinate younger people with the third dose will be made later.
Portugal is waiting to announce any change
If it progresses with this plan, the United Kingdom may be the first country in the world because even though countries like the United States have addressed this possibility, no other decision has yet been officially made. In Portugal, the Technical Commission on Vaccines “follows all changes that need to be handled with care”. “That is why over time our strategy has improved with better strategic resources. And from now on, we will continue to focus on the scientific evidence that suggests the need to make new changes to the vaccine,” he explains. SAPO24 Luis Grana, an immunologist, is a member of this commission of the Directorate of Public Health.
Commenting on the possibility of a third vaccine campaign being needed, the professor of immunization at the University of Lisbon’s Department of Medicine recalled, “There is still no evidence of safety status at this time.
“We know that vaccines are effective during the observed period, in some groups with certain immune disorders, i.e. the very elderly, the need for restoration should occur sooner than the younger, but we have not yet scientific studies indicating the moment when immune loss demands a restoration,” he said.
There are two phases of the vaccination program in both countries. Of the total 4,855,169 infections reported in the United Kingdom, 128,189 deaths have been reported, of which 45,013,503 have already been vaccinated, associated with 85.5% of adults, and 33,241,265 have already been vaccinated. Millions of people, or 63.1% of adults, have a second degree.
In Portugal, 17,108 people have died and 884,442 cases have been confirmed, with more than 8.6 million vaccines being issued, according to the latest bulletin from the Directorate General of Health. 5,413,040 received the first dose only and 3,158,425 received both doses of the vaccine, i.e. they were vaccinated.
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