Many young people, in particular, have been infected in the current Omicron wave. If they are not already, they should also get the third vaccination in the summer, advises virologist Monika Redlberger-Fritz – even if there will not yet be a vaccine adapted to Omicron.
“I am vaccinated twice and then caught Omikron before the third vaccination” – that’s what happened to many young people around New Year’s Eve this year. Their infection has now given them a kind of “super immunity” – but how long will it last? Virologist Monika Redlberger-Fritz from the Medical University of Vienna says that in such a case, one is still in the green zone after recovery. But after six months at the latest, you need the third sting – at least for the green passport.
An earlier third vaccination would not be a problem either, says the virologist – but you should wait at least four weeks after recovery. However, for many people, the six months would be over by summer – wouldn’t it make more sense to wait for the new vaccine adapted to the Omicron variant?
There is no clear answer to this question at the moment. However, the vaccination with the original virus strain has shown a perfect, broad effect against severe courses in many variants: alpha and beta, delta, and Omicron.
However, if the vaccine contains a highly specialized variant, this could lead to a detrimental effect. Precisely this question, however, still has to be clarified within the framework of approval studies. That is why there are no concrete recommendations at the moment, says Monika Redlberger-Fritz. In any case, the new vaccine is expected in autumn.
Even those vaccinated against Johnson need the third stitch
An additional question arises for all those – especially many young people – who first received a Johnson and Johnson vaccine dose and were then boostered with another vaccine. But for them to also build up optimal vaccine protection, they also need three vaccinations four to six months after the second vaccination.
Does the vaccination protection generally expire at some point – i.e., in such a way that you have to start all over again with the primary immunization? “No,” answers Redlberger-Fritz. Once you have had a prior vaccination, you only have to catch up on any booster vaccinations you may have missed.
However, it is essential to have received the third vaccination – and that is precisely what many people are still missing at the moment. Because only after the third vaccination can the protection against a severe course of the disease take full effect.
- source: orf.at/picture: pixabay.com
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