All Corona vaccines used in our country are particularly effective, as are the British alternative. Vaccinologist Pierre Van Damme stressed this in the Corona briefing.
AstraZeneca vaccine is not currently given to people over the age of 55, but according to Van Dam, who is a member of the Vaccination Action Team, this does not mean that it is not working.
According to a recent study, the effectiveness of the AstraZeneca vaccine increases when the time between the first and second injections is longer. When taking the second dose 4 to 12 weeks after the first dose, the efficacy against mild corona is 60 percent 2 weeks after the second dose. After twelve weeks, this percentage is 82 percent. “This is similar to Pfizer and Moderna,” Van Damme says.
The AstraZeneca vaccine is not currently given to people over the age of 55, but that does not mean that it does not work in older age groups, according to Van Dam. There is simply not enough data yet. Studies are still underway in the US and we expect results from the UK as well. But the World Health Organization allows it to be used on the elderly.
Van Damme confirms that all (three) vaccines used in our country are effective against the British alternative. This variant occurs in 30 to 35 percent of the samples examined. It is too early to make any statements about the South African alternative, which has been observed in 3 per cent of cases, he says. Van Damme does not rule out that the British alternative will stop the advance of South Africa.
Next week, 58,750 people in our country will receive the first Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine, and 4,600 Belgians will receive the first Moderna vaccine. Vaccination centers also started to run AstraZeneca, initially for healthcare providers between the ages of 18 and 55.
Privacy
The Coronavirus Brief raised privacy questions in identifying groups at risk. According to Dirk Rammakers, head of vaccination strategy in our country, the Supreme Health Council provided good support to these vulnerable groups last summer and no databases will remain after these people are vaccinated, in order to avoid the risks of misuse. Of privacy data. “But we will see if adjustments are needed.”
It is not clear if there will be a vaccination certificate or a passport of vaccination in the short term, according to Ramikers. “It is too early for that. If vaccines do not interfere with further transmission of Corona, they are of little benefit. The World Health Organization is not in favor as long as not everyone is given a chance to be vaccinated.”
