To whom and when should booster doses be given?

Vaccines provide protection against severe COVID-19 disease, hospitalization and death. For this reason, the health authorities recommend its administration both for a first vaccination (two doses) and for booster doses. According to Public Health, more than 87,000 cases, nearly 6,300 hospitalizations and 1,250 deaths were confirmed between February 2020 and September 2021 (20 months). Conversely, from October 2021 to September 2022, with 209,000 cases, there was almost the third highest number of hospitalizations and deaths (2,300 and 475). A decline that is attributed to vaccines. María Arbona, head of the primary care assistance section of the SNS, says that the infections, although there have been several, “do not prevent the administration of the doses but rather postpone them”. Now you have to keep in mind the time between doses more than their number. At least, you have to wait five months between shots, she says.

The recommendation is to administer a memory dose against the covid-19 to the population over 60 years of age, to residents of social and health centers, to the operators of these centers, to health and vulnerable people. Since mid-December, the possibility of receiving a booster dose has been extended to children under 60 without risk.

The authorities speak of doses of memory. At the moment the casuistry is very wide. For some people it may be the third injection after completing the primary vaccination (two doses), for others the fourth and in very high risk groups it may be the fifth dose.

Any. The vaccine is the same. Now you don’t have to watch it but boost immunity. According to the Ministry, the data available on the new vaccines, authorized for use as booster doses, indicate that they can enhance and broaden the immune response and, consequently, the protection against all manifestations of the disease.

The booster dose is given when at least 5 months have passed since the last dose given. It can be placed regardless of the number of doses received so far, provided they do not exceed those indicated by the Ministry (in the case of group 7 – very high risk patients – it reaches five).

Infection is not a contraindication to a booster dose. However, it is recommended that five months elapse from diagnosis of the infection until administration of the new dose. In people over 80 years of age, residents of nursing homes and people with a high degree of immunosuppression (group 7), the period is three months.

Healthcare professionals work with diagnoses, not suspects. If there is no evidence of infection with a diagnostic test (antigen test or PCR) it is not taken into consideration. It is important to record the positives, especially when they are sent to the address, in the personal health record or by communicating with the health center.

Yes. Vaccination managers remind that a booster dose up to 17 years of age has been authorized in the general population. From the age of 18 onwards, the authorization is to receive up to two souvenir doses.

These are bivalent mRNA vaccines against the original strain and the BA.1 variant (by Pfizer and Moderna) and against the original strain and the BA.4-BA.5 variant, which protect against these variants and those circulating in precedence. In Navarre, the Pfizer vaccine is mainly administered.

Nothing happens. As they indicate, they are fully compatible.

So far, the health authorities have not received reports of other side effects that could be striking and different from the usual: swelling in the area of ​​the sting, headache and joint pain, etc.

Yes you can. You will be given one dose and after 21 days the second dose.

Yes. The flu has its own vaccine and during the campaign for the elderly, flu and covid were administered at the same time. If they are not applied at the same time, it is recommended to wait at least a week. In case you have passed the flu, the recommendation is to wait until you are cured and you do not have a fever.

According to the health authorities, in this case there is a hybrid immunity (from vaccination and from natural immunity). People who have had a coronavirus infection may benefit from vaccination, as the immune response in future SARSCoV-2 exposures has been observed to be “more robust” and even broader than in people who have received the vaccine or have just died of the infection and with better protection against new variants and subvariants.

Yes. In that specific case, you just have to look at the bleeding. In any case, the nursing staff who administer the vaccine can answer specific questions about the drugs.

In health centers throughout Navarre.

Online, through the Personal Health Record, or by contacting the health center of each citizen. Each center has its own operation, in days and times, to administer the vaccines.