The working group of the European Medical Organization for COVID-19 (ETF) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) issued their common position on the current need for fourth installments on Wednesday (6 April). The statement is based on currently available studies and epidemiological data. Early data from Israel, which started the fourth dose of the vaccine in January, showed that the risk of serious infection and / or death from COVID-19 was reduced by up to 10 weeks after the fourth dose compared to those taking only the third dose. Although there is “still limited data” on the rate of reduction of protection after the first booster dose in adults over 80 years of age, the agencies reported that “A second commemorative COVID-19 could be given,” the ECDC press release said. It should be noted that safety and efficacy data “are only available for a fourth dose given at least four months after a third dose and this period, together with local epidemiological data, should be taken into account when taking decisions on vaccination strategies “. Fourth dose for immunocompromised For immunocompromised individuals, a fourth dose of mRNA vaccine is already recommended and should be part of ongoing vaccination campaigns in the EU. This is based on data obtained from Israel, which has shown that a fourth dose of an mRNA vaccine given to immunocompromised individuals at least four months after the third dose can restore immunity to the level observed after the third dose without increasing any new security concerns. Immunogenicity data are available for a three-week follow-up period and indicate that protection against the Omicron variant may be reduced at a similar rate as when a third dose was administered. Only preliminary data on the efficacy of the severe disease vaccine after a fourth dose are currently available, which means that long-term data on the duration of antibody levels achieved have not yet emerged. There are no data on additional doses in this population. However, the ECDC press release stated that “in severely immunocompromised individuals, passive immunization with monoclonal antibodies should be considered as an additional shield against infections and diseases.”
The EMA says there is insufficient evidence for a second COVID booster
There is still not enough evidence to support additional COVID-19, according to Marco Cavaleri, head of vaccine strategy at the European Medical Authority (EMA), and BioNTech Pfizer has already applied for approval for additional notches in the US. There is no fourth shot for people under 80 – yet For people between the ages of 60 and 80, “there is no indication of an impending need for a second booster dose”, as there are currently no clear epidemiological signs from the European region for a substantial reduction in the protection of the vaccine against the severe form of COVID- 19. However, officials stressed that the situation should be monitored in case “there is an increased risk of severe COVID-19 among vaccinated people”. In this case, the fourth dose “can be taken into account” in this age group. And for people under the age of 60, the ECDC and the ETF said the need for a second booster dose “is not supported by the available data on the continued level of protection of the vaccine against serious illness or death”. As of Tuesday, twenty countries are recommending a fourth dose for immunocompromised individuals. Meanwhile, nine countries, such as France, Germany, Greece and Hungary, are a second boost for different vulnerable populations, such as those in long-term care facilities and the elderly, with different age limits. The statement also stressed the importance of seasonal planning of coverage and re-vaccination campaigns, as “it is known that respiratory viruses tend to spread more consistently during the cold season”. [Edited by Nathalie Weatherald]
