“We will prevent a lot of people from getting it right now and we will be on the other side of the curve [sooner]. People between the ages of 30 and 50 who are vaccinated will be part of that. “
How long should I wait from an infection or my booster?
The Australian Immunization Advisory Group (ATAGI) suggested that people wait three months after recovering from COVID-19 or its last dose before receiving the next stroke.
Professor Catherine Bennett, a professor of epidemiology at Deakin University, said the new subvariants were breaking immunity and people could wait a month after recovering before receiving the next dose.
“If months had passed, you would absolutely be thinking it’s your time,” Bennett said.
For many Australians, including people with vulnerabilities, six months have passed since their booster dose and this protection has diminished.
Should I wait for the specific Omicron vaccine?
Baxter said Australia is not in a position to wait for the specific Omicron vaccine, with a peak of BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants on the way and immunity for many declining.
“Number one, we don’t know when it will actually be available,” Baxter said. He said the association of therapeutic goods and ATAGI in Australia could take months to be approved for use and that people were better off taking the available vaccines.
“This is a tool we have. We have an impending disaster next month. We are using the tool we have this month.”
Are there any risks?
According to experts, the risk of complications from a fourth dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in people between the ages of 30 and 40 is very low, lower than the risk of coronavirus complications.
“The risk-benefit ratio is in favor of vaccination, and there are some people between the ages of 30 and 40 who don’t realize they have a chronic illness; they will benefit even more,” said Professor Robert Booy, a pediatrician. of infectious diseases.
What factors should I consider?
Associate Professor James Trauer, head of epidemiological modeling at Monash University, said people between the ages of 30 and 50 should choose based on their own risk factors, infection and vaccine history.
“Each person must assess their own risk. If you have comorbidities, of course, this is one reason you want to do it [get the fourth dose]said Trauer.
He said there were risk factors for coronavirus that people were unaware of. Men were more likely than women to become seriously ill, and pregnancy was also a risk factor.
Booy said the risk of serious illness or death “increases dramatically every decade,” so a 49-year-old man was much more likely to be hospitalized than a 30-year-old.
People might also consider whether they still had COVID-19, how long ago they became infected and how severely they had it.
Baxter, who said it was not yet clear how the fourth dose affected the likelihood of COVID-19, said higher-risk occupations, such as health care or essential workers, should be considered more strongly. the fourth dose.
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What if I haven’t had my reinforcement yet?
Experts said more needs to be done to get boosters in people’s arms.
While Victoria’s absorption of the first and second doses was strong, the rate of reinforcements for those over 16 has been at 68.5 percent.
“We know reinforcement is a game changer,” Baxter said.
“Reinforcement is a winner for everyone.”
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