Do I Need 3rd Covid Vaccine Shot ?
WHO advises additional COVID-19 vaccine shot for lower immunity individuals. For the Sinovac and Sinopharm inactivated vaccines, an additional (3rd) dose of the homologous vaccine should be offered to persons aged 60.
World Health Organization vaccine director Kate O’Brien, referring to people with compromised immunity due to other conditions, told a press briefing: “The recommendation is for a third vaccination, an additional vaccination in the primary series and again that is based on the evidence showing that the immunogenicity and evidence on breakthrough infections is highly disproportionately represented by those people.”
The research group recommended that people over 60 receive an additional dose of the shots made by Chinese vaccine makers Sinopharm and Sinovac (CoronaVac) some one to three months after completing their schedule, indicating evidence in studies in South America that they perform less well over time.
“Giving those booster doses to individuals who have already had the benefit of a primary response is like putting two life jackets on somebody and leaving others without any life jacket,” O’Brien said.
“In this sense we are talking about getting the first life jacket onto people who have immunocompromising conditions.”
Note: The SAGE group, composed of independent experts who make policy but not regulatory recommendations is set to review global data in November.