The third dose or booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine can multiply by 10 the amount of antibodies that fight the omicron variant of the coronavirus in people over 65 years of age, one of the groups considered to be at the highest risk for developing a serious picture of the disease, as shown by the results of a study carried out by the Carlos III Institute of Madrid.
Around 1,200 people over 65 years of age who live in residences or have been selected through primary care centers have participated in the ENECovid senior study, and their results indicate that this third dose increases the neutralizing defenses against the omicron and delta variants , maintaining cellular immunity, as announced by the Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, and the director of the Carlos III Institute (ISCIII), Cristóbal Belda, after the meeting of the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System (CISNS).
These first results of the study have been obtained in the last four months in which situations have been experienced that have influenced its realization. “The third dose and the omicron variant forced us to modify the study”, Belda pointed out at the press conference held after the Interterritorial Council.
Over 65 years in an ‘immunological security’ zone
The researchers have also verified that people who have already had COVID-19 are even more protected against the virus, and Belda highlights that “up to 20 times more total antibodies have been detected after the third dose, which work against omicron and delta ”. Specifically, 17 times more compared to delta and 10 times more compared to omicron, she has indicated. In Spain, 89% of those over 65 years of age have already received the third dose of the vaccine, and based on the results of the ENECovid senior, it is concluded that this population group is in an ‘immunological security’ zone.
“Up to 20 times more total antibodies have been detected after the third dose, which work against omicron and delta”
Minister Darias recalled the importance of the third dose of the vaccine, and highlighted that in our country 90.6% of those over 12 years of age have already been immunized and that up to 46% of children between five and 11 years has received the first puncture. “Vaccines save lives. We are seeing it with the impact of this sixth wave. They protect us against serious illness, hospitalization, ICU and death. Those people between 60-69 years of age who are vaccinated have a 16-fold lower risk of being hospitalized, a 29-fold lower risk of ending up in the ICU and a 20-fold lower risk of death”, she concluded.
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