Which vaccine to choose for a booster jab? Why is it recommended to receive a third dose of the coronavirus vaccine and what vaccines are currently available free of charge? Health experts have answered these and other questions. Today Kazakhstan launched its revaccination of the population campaign. Everyone at risk is invited to receive a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“In the first instance, revaccination will be offered to medical staff who faces the potential coronavirus patients. Then, these are teachers, law enforcement officers and people over the age of 60, who, unfortunately, have many chronic diseases, and who are most likely to develop a severe form of COVID-19. These are also the staff staying in closed medical institutions, and persons with weakened immunity,” said Ainagul Kuatbayeva, Branch Director of the Research Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology and infectious diseases expert.
While everything is more or less clear with the first two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, when it comes to the booster dose, a number of questions arise. For example, which vaccine to choose? The vaccine choice is quite extensive. For example, the U.S. Pfizer vaccine to get which people in other countries stand in lines, is available in Kazakhstan for everyone, but not for free. There are, however, free options as well. Currently, Kazakh residents can get Sputnik V, Sinopharm, QazVac and Vero Cell. However, if a person has previously received a vector vaccine, he must now receive an inactivated one. This way the chances of developing antibodies can increase, experts say.
It is strongly recommended to choose a different vaccine for the third dose, which was made on a different platform, because this way the other links of the immune system that were less affected are involved. For example, some person was vaccinated with an inactivated vaccine, let’s say, QazVac, then it would be better for him to choose for a booster shot a vector vaccine or one that was manufactured on the mRNA platform,” added Alexander Gulyayev, expert of the National Center for Expertise of Medicines and Medical Devices.
According to the Health Ministry, in the first phase of the COVID-19 booster vaccine campaign, it is planned to inoculate almost a million citizens. More than six million residents will receive a third dose during the second phase. There is no vaccine deficiency, the ministry said in a statement.
Translation by Assem Zhanmukhanova
Editing by Galiya Khassenkhanova
