The national chief medical officer is asking everyone to take the third vaccine as well, because the body needs extra antigenic activity due to the appearance of newer versions of the coronavirus.
On Kossuth Radio, Cecília Müller drew the attention to the fact that a vaccination week will be organized in Hungary between November 22nd and 28th. At the already well-known hospital and newly opened vaccination points, those who want to take the first, second or third vaccination are welcome from 7 am to 7 pm, even without prior registration and appointment. The chief physician described her expectations for the vaccination week as “I am very optimistic and want to stay that way.” After all, “people can already see with their own eyes and experience” that vaccination is the most basic means of protection against the coronavirus epidemic. “I am confident that common sense will prevail over concerns, misconceptions and misinformation,” she stressed. Regarding the fact that the protection provided by the vaccines lasts for 4-6 months compared to the previous one-year estimate, Cecília Müller emphasized that the genetic stock of the virus had changed a lot compared to the original Wuhan strain, with a lot of mutations. “In the fourth wave, we’re just fighting the delta type,” he remarked.
Because the vaccines were developed for the original Wuhan version, it is necessary to include a booster vaccine because of the variants, she explained. Referring to the variants, she emphasized that this is precisely the reason why it is not possible to say how long the vaccines will last. She added that in line with international experience, Hungary also shows that the immune response of all vaccines decreases 4-6 months after the second vaccination. This is true for both cellular immunity and antibody levels, she added. Due to the change in the virus, the body needs extra antigenic activity to raise the level of protection to 80-90 percent provided by the first two vaccinations, the national chief medical officer pointed out. She also pointed out that with the change in the coronavirus, the “behavior” of the pathogen has also changed, which is why the delta type can now “infect extremely many people in an extremely dangerous form.” Cecília Müller warned that no acorn-healthy young person has any guarantee that they will not be seriously ill if they become infected. That is why individual protection is important, she stressed. The chief physician also indicated that the list of vaccination points involved in the vaccination week can be found at koronavirus.gov.hu. It is also possible to book an appointment during the vaccination week, those arriving without an appointment will be vaccinated in the order of arrival.
MTI
