Second booster – Canton of Zurich confused with vaccination request
Released
The health department mistakenly called on hospital employees for the second booster vaccination. Some healthcare workers can actually have themselves boosted again – albeit unofficially.
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The Health Directorate mistakenly sent an SMS asking for the fourth vaccination. However, this is neither permitted nor recommended.
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A fourth vaccination for the population is currently not an issue, say EKIF President Christoph Berger and infectiologist Andreas Widmer.
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According to Widmer, the fourth vaccination comes too late and would bring more costs than benefits.
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This causes some resentment.
The Health Department of the Canton of Zurich has sent an SMS to various hospital employees requesting the fourth vaccination. One Affected says that the SMS from the official VacMe portal states that you have been admitted to the second booster vaccination for “optimal protection”.
However, that was an “erroneous” mistake, as Jérôme Weber from the Health Department of the Canton of Zurich explains. Because a fourth vaccination is neither approved by Swissmedic nor recommended by the standing vaccination committee (EKIF). Investigations have been initiated and we apologize for the circumstances, says Weber.
However, certain hospitals, such as the University Hospital Basel, actually offer a fourth vaccination for their staff, as Nicolas Drechsler, media spokesman for the University Hospital Basel, says. However, not officially: This option would only exist as an “off-label” variant and only at the “express request” of the person concerned.
«No need for fourth vaccination»
There is no current need for a general recommendation for a second booster vaccination, says Christoph Berger, President of the Federal Commission on Vaccination (EKIF). “Our recommendations for Covid vaccination aim to prevent hospitalizations.” And that is currently working very well, says Berger.
Because people who have been vaccinated three times have an extremely low risk of being hospitalized for a corona infection. “Current data show that hospitalized Covid patients are older than 60 and mostly unvaccinated,” says Berger.
Too few statements about protection against Long Covid
Regarding Long Covid and the fourth vaccination, Berger says that there is currently too little data to assess the extent to which a second booster vaccination prevents Long Covid. “However, we are monitoring the data and will adjust our recommendations as necessary.”
Nevertheless, a person with their doctor can choose to make an additional vaccination, without recommendation from EKIF and approval by Swissmedic (»off-label»). However, this requires appropriate clarification and decision-making, says Berger.
The Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) confirms this on request. The EKIF and the FOPH recommend people who are severely immunocompromised to have a booster vaccination after the first three vaccinations.
Fourth booster vaccination is “too late”
The infectiologist Andreas Widmer also says that a fourth booster vaccination for the general population currently makes no sense. “The costs and effort involved would be too high compared to the benefit.” In addition, it was already too late for a fourth vaccination, since all measures would be lifted at the end of March and the virus would then circulate extremely strongly, even more than after the carnival in Lucerne and Basel, says Widmer.
However, a second booster vaccination is likely to make sense for people over the age of 65 and people with immunosuppression. “Especially next fall, when we have a mutated variant that may completely bypass the current vaccine, vulnerable people should be vaccinated with an adapted vaccine,” says the infectiologist.
It is also important that all people who have not yet been vaccinated get vaccinated. “You get the best protection with three vaccinations and a hopefully asymptomatic illness,” says Widmer.
Frustrated with the lack of approval
The fact that a second booster has not yet been approved is a concern Twitter for displeasure. One user writes: “Was in Triemli this afternoon for the 2nd booster. I’m Ü65 and on March 8th it was 4 months since the last one. You only vaccinate when it is approved by the Federal Council or the canton. They’re so hollow.” As Swissmedic reports on request, no application for approval for a fourth Covid vaccination has been received to date.
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