The majority of Austrians have already been vaccinated against coronavirus or have recovered. However, people whose immune system is weakened due to illness or the use of immunosuppressive medication are often unable to build up sufficient immune protection against the SARS-CoV-2 virus despite vaccination and are, therefore, almost defenceless against it.
There is a new prophylactic drug for this particularly vulnerable group of people. It is administered by two intramuscular injections at the same time. “Covid can definitely pose a risk to certain people in autumn and winter,” confirms Viennese infectiologist Prof. Dr. Stefan Winkler.
“Non-vaccinated people and, as in previous years, older people with severe co-morbidities or concomitant illnesses (e.g., heart failure, severe COPD, chronic renal failure) are particularly affected. Also at risk are patients with neurological diseases (e.g., Parkinson’s, dementia, epilepsy, and trisomy 21) and stem cell and organ transplant patients (as they are immunosuppressed).
Also, people with immunodeficiencies (congenital or acquired) or with hemato-oncological diseases (lymphoma, leukaemia, and multiple myeloma) are at increased risk. Here, the disease and the immune or cytostatic therapy determine the risk.” Those who have not developed antibodies after vaccinations (often through special immunotherapies) could also have a problem. These people, in particular, could benefit from COVID prophylaxis.
– source: krone.at/picture: