Advice from the professor of epidemiology and preventive medicine, EKPA Theodora Psaltopoulou
It is observed that the attendance of citizens has decreased vaccination against him coronavirus with the new updated vaccine recent data indicate. After alla the Panhellenic Medical Association had spoken of 13,000 vaccinations per day, a fairly low number, also in view of the winter when an increase in cases is expected.
What should be done? As Theodora Psaltopoulou, professor of epidemiology and preventive medicine at EKPA, tells APE-MPE, it is considered necessary to inform citizens about the importance of vaccination. He even cites data from the ECDC, where according to special analyses, a successful campaign targeting citizens over 60 years of age, to increase vaccination coverage against this disease, could prevent 21 to 32% of all hospital admissions related to Covid in European countries until February 2024.
Vaccination is the cornerstone of public health
According to dozens of systematic analyzes and meta-analyses, and according to the World Health Organization, he reports to APE-MPE that vaccination against Covid-19 saved tens of millions of lives around the world and thousands of lives in Greece. The National Vaccination Committee and the Ministry of Health, as well as corresponding European bodies (ECDC- European Center for Disease Control and Prevention) recommend vaccination against Covid-19 with the updated vaccine, on an optional basis, but with a strong recommendation regarding the following categories:
- People aged 60 and over
- People aged 6 months to 59 years, with co-morbidities that increase the risk of severe disease
- Immunocompromised individuals
- You were pregnant
- Health professionals.
More specifically, why are these recommendations being made? It has been found that:
1. People over the age of 60 have a greater risk of hospitalization, intubation and death immediately after contracting Covid-19, compared to people under the age of 60, due to immunosenescence. Therefore, gradually with increasing age and the transition to the seventh and eighth decades, the elderly are susceptible to infections, and at the same time show a weaker response to vaccines, and need more repeated doses.
2. For people over the age of 60 who have contracted Covid, studies show that they have an increased risk of complications and death, even one year after infection, mainly from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
3. The recommendation for vaccination at younger ages with comorbidities or immunosuppression is made because systematic analyzes and meta-analyses that have been published worldwide show a higher probability of death in people who will contract Covid and at the same time suffer from chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases or diabetes . Obesity and being overweight, which characterizes a large percentage of the adult population in Greece, is also an aggravating predisposing factor for serious illness. Cancer of solid organs, hematological cancers and other immunosuppressed conditions greatly increase the chance of death from Covid, compared to healthy people of the same sex and age.
4. As for pregnant women, especially during the first period of the Covid pandemic when a large part of the population had not had time to be immunized, they had an increased probability of death compared to the rest of the population.
5. The recommendation for health professionals exists because every day they are in contact with dozens of people who are sick, with a greater possibility of transmission from both sides, and mainly in vulnerable categories for serious illness.
6. Vaccination has been found to reduce the likelihood of long-covid symptoms, that is, symptoms, signs and complications that persist or appear 4 weeks after infection with coronavirus, from various organs and systems of the body.
7. Additionally, vaccination not only protects against the severity of the disease, but also reduces the number of days someone is sick. That is why, despite the above groups for which vaccination is recommended, any citizen who wishes can be vaccinated.
8. The home vaccination that is already offered in Greece facilitates active immunization, since obstacles are overcome, such as the movement of the older population or people with mobility problems.
9. The possibility of simultaneous co-administration with the influenza vaccine (from another anatomical area) which is already provided in our country, effectively contributes to the planning of those groups who can now, with one visit to the vaccination center, complete their vaccination with regard to these two respiratory diseases that are expected to dominate in the winter of 2024.
10. Finally, it is worth underlining that this monovalent vaccine was developed against the XBB.1.5 (Kraken) subvariant of Covid-19. This subvariant remains one of the dominant subvariants in our country, as well as throughout Europe, and this vaccine provides cross-immunity to all the subvariants with the highest circulating rates. Although we have now come to possess the knowledge and means for more effective antiviral treatment for Covid disease, it should be noted that treatment in no way replaces the benefits of prevention, i.e. vaccination.
