16 million extra doses administered. That is the objective of the Ministry of Health, before the end of 2021, although at the moment about six have done so, 12.5% of the population, and this goal seems to be quite far away. Already said the Minister of Health, Carolina Darias: “We have to hit the gas on the reinforcements of the 16 million people, with the objective that it is before the beginning of the Christmas holidays “.
The Public Health Commission has gradually approved the booster doses. In mid-September it authorized the third dose for people at “high risk”, while in early October it did so for those over 70 and at the end of the same month, for people vaccinated with Janssen. On November 23, the booster dose was approved for people between 60 and 69 years old, as well as for social and health personnel. All these groups of people add up to the 16 million that Darias referred to.
At the moment, some of our European neighbors “are on our heels”, according to the data it has collected. Our World in Data, that show the number of doses administered per 100 inhabitants, although it is true that in our country these vaccines are not yet approved for the entire population, unlike others, which have opened their agendas to everyone over 40, or 18 -as is the case in countries like Germany or Belgium-. In Spain, the rate is from older to younger, so that the inoculation of the third dose follows the same pattern as the first vaccination.
At the moment, the third dose is inoculated six months later after completing the regimen. The EMA pointed out this week that it would be “desirable” for EU countries to advance the administration of the booster dose, and that it be administered only three months later, instead of six, after the irruption of the omicron variant.
Why a booster dose is necessary
Vaccination is still effective. Several studies show that after full administration of the vaccine, protection against COVID and the likelihood of reducing severe symptoms is greatly reduced. In fact, today, a report carried out by the Generalitat Valenciana has been published, which has shown that vaccination has managed to reduce the number of deaths by 90% and the number of hospitalized by 75%, Although this prevention capacity, as with other diseases, decreases with the passage of time. However, they have developed various clinical trials that show that being third vaccine increases the immune response and helps prevent symptomatic cases of coronavirus.
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