European vaccine manager believes it will be relevant with the third vaccine dose for all adults – Dagsavisen
Most EU countries have now started issuing a third dose of coronary vaccine to the elderly, vulnerable and people who are particularly vulnerable to infection, according to Marco Cavaleri, Head of Biological Health Threats and Vaccine Strategy at the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
Many countries in Europe are now experiencing increased infection again, and the World Health Organization (WHO) said a few days ago that Europe is again the epicenter of the pandemic. This may mean that some countries may eventually choose to offer a third dose to all adults.
Extending the “refill doses” to the entire population can be a “natural next step”, says Cavaleri according to Politics.
EMA has approved Modernas and Pfizer’s coronary vaccines as the third dose for anyone over 18 years of age.
“This perception paves the way for all adults of all ages to be considered for a third dose,” he said.
Different countries have so far given different assessments as to who is eligible for a third dose. In Norway, for example, in advance everyone over the age of 65, people with various risk factors and now also health professionals with patient contact can get this, while the UK offers everyone over the age of 50.
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Worst in the east
A number of countries in Europe are experiencing now increased infection. Although the number of hospitalizations and deaths is far lower than at many times in the pandemic due to increased vaccination, many countries experience that more are admitted.
The worst situation is in many Eastern European countries, where the vaccination rate is in many cases lower than in Western Europe. In the EU, Bulgaria is by far the lowest in vaccination, with just 26.9 percent of people over the age of 18 fully vaccinated. In Romania, just 39.6 percent of adults are fully vaccinated, according to EU overview. Also outside the EU, several European countries in the east have low vaccination rates, such as Ukraine and Russia, which also have high infection rates.
At the other end of the scale, individual countries have fully vaccinated over 90 percent of adults. This applies to Ireland (92.3 per cent), Malta (91.7 per cent), Portugal (91.6 per cent) and Iceland (91.2 per cent).
It was the head of the WHO in Europe, Hans Kluge, as recently said that Europe is again the epicenter. He believes the continent may experience half a million deaths from now and before February, and believes the reason is a lack of vaccination in some countries. He also believes one reason is easing of restrictions.
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Koronapass in Denmark
Denmark is among the countries in Europe with a very high vaccination rate, 88.3 percent of adults are fully vaccinated. Men The number of coronary patients admitted to Danish hospitals has tripled in one month, and now more than 300 people have been admitted to Danish hospitals with covid-19. This is the highest figure since February. The government of Denmark announced on Monday evening that it will again introduce a requirement for a corona certificate to enter, among other things, indoor restaurants, nightclubs and major concerts.
The corona certificate in Denmark allows access if you have been fully vaccinated, have had covid-19 or have a recent negative corona test. Children under the age of 16 are exempt from the scheme, but it should be considered to reduce this to 15 years.
Denmark is just one of several countries in Europe that have recently introduced austerity measures again. Austria has also introduced restrictions – now only vaccinated or formerly covid patients will be able to enter restaurants, hotels, hairdressers, sporting events, ski lifts and other services. There will be a transition period of four weeks as people with one vaccine dose and a negative PCR test will use the services, but then full vaccination is required if you have not had covid-19. A negative test holder does not.
Some regions in Germany have also introduced this. Germany has reached a fourth wave, which is a cause for concern.
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Going against the WHO
The distribution of a third vaccine dose has intensified the debate on vaccine bias globally. While rich countries are now well under way with refill doses, most of which are given only to the elderly and other risk groups so far, many poor countries have given almost no vaccines to their population. In Africa, just over six percent of the entire population is fully vaccinated, according to an overview from OurWorldinData. In addition to this, three percent are partially vaccinated.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned against giving a third dose to the general population. The WHO has so far only recommended for people with strong weakened immune systems, and otherwise only for people over the age of 60 who have received the vaccines Sinopharm and Sinovac, who have not been used in the EU.
The WHO has called for a moratorium on booster vaccines for the general population throughout the year, to allow more people in other countries to receive their first dose. A skewed distribution is not only unfair, but could also affect rich countries eventually, the WHO points out – if the coronavirus is not killed in other parts of the world, and the virus, for example, is allowed to mutate.
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