When is the right time for the third dose after coronavirus treatment? The health sector has a clear answer! – Topky.sk

It will be a year since the vaccination of the population started in Slovakia. At first, the risk groups of the population were vaccinated – seniors from a certain age, health professionals, later also teachers and gradually the rest of the Slovaks. However, despite almost 12 months since the start of the vaccination campaign, not enough people have been vaccinated and we are experiencing last year’s déjà-vu. Lockdown again, curfew again, strict rules again, shortly before Christmas.

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From the end of September, you can also apply for the third dose. It should strengthen the immunity of those who have been vaccinated for more than half a year. Nevertheless, due to the infectious delta variant, there are an increasing number of cases where, despite the full immunity of the vaccine, they became infected with the coronavirus. So what if the fully vaccinated are infected with the coronavirus? When will they be able to be vaccinated again?

A year since overcoming or not at all?

The reader Ján, who contracted the coronavirus shortly before the third dose, contacted us. As a teacher, he did not want to risk anything, and since his students regularly quarantined at school, he decided to take the third dose. He has a pregnant wife at home, just as vaccinated, but for a short time, and he didn’t want to risk anything. Nevertheless, he once woke up with symptoms – a stuffy nose, a headache, and later a loss of smell and taste. He and his wife also ordered a PCR test to be sure. She had a test negative, he positive. The result came the day before the third dose.

Source: TASR / DPA via AP / Michael Kappeler

His quarantine is currently coming to an end, so he was interested in when he would be able to apply for the date again. However, he could not complete the information. According to the currently valid rules, his vaccination card is valid for one year – that is, until the end of April, when he received the second dose of vaccination. However, after overcoming, it has the status of “overcome” 180 days, ie about half a year.

Information on when to receive the third dose varied at first. The Ministry of Health did not recommend a third-dose vaccination. “A third dose is not recommended for all other fully vaccinated people, as overcoming COVID-19 acts as a third booster dose. However, if such a person requests a third dose, they will be allowed to do so.” said the Ministry of Health. Others argued that the third dose would have been vaccinated a year after recovery. So when would he be able to sign up again?

Source: TASR / Jonathan Hayward / The Canadian Press via AP, File

The Ministry has a clear answer to such cases. To enroll in the third dose of the vaccine, those who have survived the coronavirus despite the vaccination can be vaccinated directly as early as two weeks after the disease is overcome. “However, overcoming the disease itself acts as a booster dose in fully vaccinated people. In the Slovak Republic, a person vaccinated with Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in two doses (14 days after the second dose) and in Janssen – one dose (21 days after the first dose) is considered fully vaccinated (mode O). It is not necessary for those who have survived the disease before the third dose to have their antibody levels checked. ” explained the Ministry of Health.