A second booster dose may be given to adults aged 80 or older because of the “increased risk of severe Covid-19 for this age group” and the “protection offered by a fourth dose,” the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (EMA) said in a statement. statment.
There is no conclusive evidence
On the other hand, the health authorities considered that there is currently no “conclusive evidence” within the European Union that vaccine protection against serious diseases decreases significantly in adults aged 60-79 years, although they “will continue to monitor the data.
“If the current epidemiological situation changes and new signals emerge, it may become necessary to consider a fourth dose in this age group,” they said.
The institutions concluded that for adults under the age of 60 with a normal immune system, there is currently no “conclusive evidence” that the vaccine’s protection against serious disease is diminished and that a fourth dose has value added.
“If the current epidemiological situation changes and new signs emerge, it may become necessary to consider a fourth dose in this age group.”
So far, no safety issues have emerged from supplemental stimulant dose studies.
Vaccination against Covid-19 remains the most effective way to prevent serious diseases, including those caused by the Omicron variant, health authorities have reiterated.