HS collected answers to questions about vaccinations in children and third doses for adults.
Health and the National Institute for Welfare (THL) proposed changes to Finnish corona vaccinations on Thursday. Some vaccination issues are still open, but much is already known.
THL recommends that children between the ages of 5 and 11 at risk be vaccinated when vaccines for children are introduced. In addition, it proposes vaccinations for children with severely immunocompromised individuals in their immediate vicinity.
In addition, THL recommends that third doses of coronary vaccine be offered to all 18-year-olds 5-6 months after the second dose.
HS collected answers to questions about childhood vaccinations and third doses.
Read more: THL’s Nohynek HS: The third vaccine for adults may be different from the one previously given – Children at risk will be vaccinated, criteria and schedule still open
Read more: Some parents would have already been waiting for coronary vaccinations for all children under the age of 12: “I will be the first in line in the reserve country for a while”
Why was it decided to vaccinate children only at risk so far?
In 5-11 year olds coronary infection is usually mild and severe symptoms are rare, THL explained on Thursday.
Children at risk are known to be at greater risk of hospitalization for covid-19 than primary health care.
Risk groups have not yet been defined. For example, it is unresolved in Finland whether children with asthma are at risk.
When and where are children vaccinated?
THL: n leading expert Mia Kontio estimates that about 162,000 doses of pediatric vaccines will arrive in Finland in the middle of the week, ie in the middle of December. Additional doses will be available in early January.
Municipalities are responsible for arranging vaccinations. Kontio estimates on Thursday that vaccinations in schools are unlikely to take place, at least not yet.
What are the world’s experiences of vaccinating children?
THL: n senior physician To Hanna Nohy says that Finland received unpublished data from the United States on the safety of children’s vaccinations. Among the few hundred thousand, no serious, unexpected inconveniences occurred.
“But that’s too small a number to follow,” Nohynek says.
According to him, it has later been estimated that at least 300,000 children in the population exposed to narcolepsy should have been monitored in clinical trials to detect a signal of narcolepsy with Pandemrix, for example.
According to Nohynek, it is too early to say how vaccinations for children have affected the epidemic in the United States, for example.
Read more: Several non-EU countries already vaccinate children under the age of 12 against the coronavirus
Can a non-at-risk child get the vaccine if the parents want it?
For now No.
“It’s then the stage we are at when we have more safety information. We will hopefully say so already this year. But I don’t dare promise because the vaccinations would get started, ”Nohynek says.
Why has all adults already wanted to be vaccinated, but research data is still awaited for other children?
It’s about there is a balance between the pros and cons, says Nohynek.
“In adults, the older the age group, the greater the risk of getting a serious illness and even dying. It is a completely different class than children, who for the most part suffer from corona with very mild or even asymptomatic symptoms. ”
According to Nohynek, more safety information is needed for children with a low risk of serious illness.
THL suggests that instead of recommending those over 18 years of age, a third dose be offered 5 to 6 months after the second. Does this mean that it is up to you to take the third dose?
“Just this is because in 18- to 59-year-olds, the protective effect against a serious illness lasts for more than six months. There is now evidence of that, ”says Nohynek.
According to him, THL deliberately specified to whom the vaccines are recommended and to whom they are offered. The word choices are also intended to guide municipalities to prioritize vaccinations for the elderly and medical at-risk groups.
“They should be made to go accelerated between five months and for as many people as possible. That would not happen if 18-year-olds wedge in between. ”
Thus, younger people do not necessarily have to take a third vaccination from the point of view of protection against a serious illness. According to Nohynek, the vaccines used in Finland and their intervals provide protection that is very good and reasonably long-lasting.
Should a third vaccine be taken in the coming months, if it is not yet known whether the vaccine needs to be modified due to the micron transformation?
This Concerns have been raised, for example, by FDA experts, according to Nohynek.
“That if you are terribly in a hurry and give these current vaccines, it could be bad for what is the ideal time frame to give a new customized vaccine.”
Nohynek stresses that information on the effectiveness of current vaccines against omicron will not be available until next week. Many pharmaceutical companies have already announced that they have started work on self-vaccination.
Why can the third dose be a different manufacturer’s vaccine than previously obtained vaccines?
Thence there is no harm and it may even be useful, says Nohynek. According to him, there are already a lot of research results on the matter.
“Starting with an adenovirus vaccine and continuing with an mrna vaccine will result in better antibody responses and protective efficacy. We will not know yet whether it will provide longer-term protection, ”says Nohynek.
How many vaccination rounds are expected in the future?
“Is it is still too early to say, ”replies Nohynek.
According to Nohynek, it depends, first, on how long the vaccine lasts against a serious illness and infection after the third dose.
In addition, Finland’s strategy has an impact. If the focus is on the prevention of serious illness and death, booster doses may be necessary, for example, only in the elderly and at-risk groups.
“Or if the focus is on infection prevention, then it could mean that booster doses could be needed more often and for everyone.”
Are there enough third-party vaccines for all adults in Finland?
Yes, if everyone does not apply for the vaccine until 5 to 6 months after the second dose.
“But if everyone over the age of 18 were to go get them right now, it wouldn’t be enough,” Nohynek says.
According to him, it has been calculated that by the end of the year, 2.7 million doses of vaccine have arrived in Finland.
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