CHANGES IN VACCINATION: You will only receive AstraZenec tomorrow! What about the third dose? – Topky.sk

Tomorrow is the last chance to get a second dose of AstraZeneca. After this date, it will no longer be possible to be vaccinated with this vaccine. For Slovaks, it was one of the first vaccines available, but from the beginning it was accompanied by doubts.

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They were mainly related to serious side effects. Does Slovakia currently have enough vaccines? Which vaccine will people with AstraZeneca get at the third dose? What if the vaccines are just before expiration? We also asked the Ministry of Health about these questions.

The deadline for the second dose is tomorrow

A little more than three months have been vaccinated in Slovakia with the AstraZeneca vaccine. The first dose was given between February and mid-May. Vaccination with the first dose was completed by the Ministry of Health on 11 May. After a few months, the AstraZenac vaccination is over. The deadline for the second dose is Wednesday, October 6. “The Ministry, in cooperation with the vaccination centers in each region, is opening the deadlines for vaccinating the second doses,” said the resort.

Source: health.gov.sk

The Ministry of Health contacted all the waiters for the 2nd dose by telephone, whose system was registered and offered them an appointment. “Those citizens who are registered in the system as waiting for the 2nd dose of Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca), but for various reasons could not be reached by phone, received a notification SMS message from NCZI notifying of the last open dates,” the ministry writes. “418,111 people have been vaccinated with both doses so far,” stated. Others who do not have an appointment may take a second dose of AstraZenec get on Wednesday without registration, but only in Považská Bystrica.

If you are vaccinated with AstraZeneca, you will receive a third dose from Pfizer

By the time the AstraZeneca vaccination is stopped, vaccination is slowly started with the third dose. “Patients will need a recommendation from a specialist or GP to get the third dose.” Elena Prokopová, the main expert of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic for pediatrics, approached. “Initially, it will be intended for immunocompromised persons (eg people with reduced immunity), they will be informed about the possibility of vaccination with the third dose,” said the spokeswoman for the resort, Eliášová.

Source: Science helps

The Ministry recommends that the third dose of the vaccine be given to healthcare professionals, immunosuppressed or compromised patients, such as cancer patients, transplant patients, rheumatoid arthritis and the like, as well as clients and staff in social services, teachers and school staff. , patients aged 60 years and older and subsequently the general population over 18 years.

What vaccine will be given to people who have two doses of AstraZeneca and belong to a category that may already receive a third dose? The answer is clear. The Ministry of Health has confirmed that they will receive the Pfizer vaccine. They can come to any vaccination center to see if they meet the criteria. They will also be able to apply through the portal of the National Center for Health Information (NCZI). As follows from the current guidelines of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic, the third dose is determined by vaccinated vector and mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 disease.

We have three types of vaccines available in Slovakia

Three vaccines will be available in Slovakia – COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), Spikevax (Moderna) and Comirnaty (Pfizer / BioNTech). The remaining benefits of AstraZenec, which will not be used, are donated by the Ministry of Health. “Slovakia plans to donate vaccines from AZ to some countries. After completing all the details, we will provide comprehensive information,” spokesperson Zuzana Eliášová told Topky.

Source: Science helps, Waiting room

There are currently 136,050 doses from Janssen, 383,000 doses of Moderna and 1,248,474 doses of Pfizer. There are enough doses, but the interest in vaccinations is low, we vaccinate around 15,000 to 20,000 people a week. Although interest has been rising in recent days with autumn approaching, this is not a big increase. At the moment, just over two thousand people are waiting for the first dose, and less than 27,500 people are waiting for the second dose.

Interest in vaccination is low, is there a risk of expiration?

As we mentioned, interest in vaccinations has risen slightly, but not dizzyingly. In total, just over 43 percent of people are fully vaccinated to date, which is 2,333,328 people. “The Ministry of Health, together with experts, is doing everything to ensure that the number of people vaccinated in Slovakia is as high as possible and that we have been able to effectively defend ourselves against COVID-19. Vaccination protects against the serious course of the disease.” said Elijah.

Source: Science helps, Waiting room

“The ministry is taking a number of steps, vaccinating in vaccination centers, through mobile vaccination teams, in outpatient clinics, schools, and the ministry also plans to launch another wave of massive vaccination campaigns.” she added.

Source: Science helps, Waiting room

The question also remains what will happen to other vaccines if there is no interest and vaccines are in danger of expiring. “The Ministry of Health is closely monitoring the situation and taking the necessary steps in advance to ensure that vaccines are used to protect human health and lives. One step is, for example, to donate vaccines well in advance of their use in another country.” said the resort. However, it is not known how many vaccines are at risk of early expiration.

Source: Science helps, Waiting room

We record two deaths in connection with the AstraZeneca vaccination

The first doses of vector vaccine from a British-Swedish company came to Slovakia at the beginning of February this year. However, serious side effects and over time the first deaths soon began to appear. Therefore, the distance between the first and second dose was extended from the original 8 to 10 and later up to 12 weeks. To date, two deaths have been confirmed that may have been associated with AstraZenac vaccination.

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“To date, we record a total of four deaths due to vaccination, of which in three cases the association was determined to be possible (after Comirnaty, Spikevax and Vaxzevria vaccines) and one as probable (after Vaxzevria vaccine),” said the State Institute for Drug Control, which monitors the situation every week. In other closed cases, including some mediated cases, the connection was excluded.

Serious side effects even with a single-dose vaccine

Serious side effects also occurred after vaccination with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Slovenia temporarily suspended vaccination with a single-dose coronavirus vaccine last week after a 20-year-old woman died of brain bleeding and blood clots just days after being vaccinated. “According to the available information, the death could have been due to thrombosis syndrome with thrombocytopenia (TTS, ie blood clots in combination with low platelet levels),” ŠDKL spokeswoman Magdaléna Jurkemíková told Topky.

Source: SITA / AP Photo / File

“This is a serious side effect, but it is very rare and well-known – information about it has already been included in the dossier (including the Package Leaflet). It is not new information on possible side effects of the vaccine.” delivered to the address of this vaccine.

ŠÚKL regularly publishes statistics on reported suspected adverse reactions COVID-19 vaccines. “It follows that serious adverse reactions, such as loss of consciousness, collapse, hallucinations, hyperpyrexia, have also been reported with COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen. The suspected suspicions of adverse reactions do not call into question the safety of the vaccines. The benefits of the vaccines far outweigh their risks. The vaccination strategy and thus also the possible suspension of vaccination is in the competence of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic, “ stated Jurkemíková.