Fourth, CoV vaccination is “not yet necessary.“

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A separate Omicron-specific vaccination is unnecessary, nor is a fourth CoV vaccination for broad sections of the population, says vaccination expert Ursula Wiedermann-Schmidt from MedUni Vienna.

It is not yet possible to say whether this will also apply in autumn – more data is needed for this. This is also the recommendation of the national vaccination committee, “where we said that we do not yet recommend the fourth vaccination for everyone because we do not yet have the data, but for people over the age of 65, and also for immunocompromised people, it probably makes sense, because you have to assume that the three immunizations do not provide lasting or good protection,” Wiedermann-Schmidt told “Wien Heute.“

The number of people in the city who have recovered increases every day. For those who have recovered, the vaccinologist assumes that an infection would make a fourth vaccination extra at the moment. “I don’t think there is a need for an Omicron-specific vaccine. But what we have seen is that if the basic immunization has taken place with the three vaccinations and you were infected with Delta or Omicron, you have then developed such a broad immune response that it is then sufficient for a longer period.”

Fourth vaccination if then only in autumn

In other countries, mainly older people are being vaccinated a fourth time for the time being. This would only make sense for many people in the autumn anyway, similar to the flu vaccination in Austria. The good news is that new data from Austria show how well the primary immunization against the currently predominant Omicron variant works.

“I would say that we can now assume that the people who have been vaccinated and have had an infection have acquired an excellent immunity,” Wiedermann-Schmidt said. There would be no need for action until autumn in such a case.

Green passport: expert can imagine an extension

However, there is a need for action regarding the period of validity of the Green Passport. The third vaccination expires after 270 days, which for many is early summer. The expert can imagine an extension, but only after the current wave has subsided.