At the beginning of March, the National Vaccination Commission (NIG) recommended a fourth partial vaccination against Covid-19 for high-risk persons and people over 65. Sweden started vaccinating people over 80 and residents of nursing homes for the fourth time in January. With success, a new study by Swedish scientists shows that the fourth sting protects.
A team led by Peter Nordström from the University of Umea tried to determine the effect of a fourth vaccination against Covid-19 in old people. The researchers conducted their study in two steps: first they compared data from 12,262 residents of Swedish nursing homes, on average 84 years old, who had been vaccinated for the fourth time against Covid-19, with an equally large group of people from nursing homes (same age, same health condition, without a fourth dose of vaccination).
Mortality significantly lower after the 4th stitch
“In the period between seven and 60 days after the fourth dose, mortality was 39 percent lower among those vaccinated for the fourth time. However, this difference went back to 27 percent in the period from 61 to 126 days (after the fourth partial vaccination; note),” the scientists said. In the second phase, ie about two to four months after the “fourth sting”, the difference was no longer statistically significant.
In the second similar study, the researchers then compared all Swedes over the age of 80 who had received the fourth dose of the vaccine (197,052 people) with an equally large group of the same age who had not received the vaccine. Here, among those who were revaccinated, there was even a 71 percent reduction in all-cause mortality between seven and 60 days after vaccination. Until about four months after the fourth sting, this protective effect was reduced to 54 percent, but it remained statistically significant.
Protection level decreases after two months
“Compared to the third dose, a fourth dose of mRNA vaccine against Covid-19 during the omicron wave resulted in reduced all-cause mortality in the nursing home residents and the elderly population in the first two months during the omicron wave. After that, the protection rate decreased slightly,” the scientists wrote in the report “The Lancet Regional Health”.
It is possible that these people will remain vaccinated against Covid-19 at relatively short intervals in the future because their aging immune system apparently only builds up a small “memory” that immediately starts up again upon renewed contact with SARS-CoV-2. In contrast, in younger people with an intact immune system, such a “memory” develops and provides long-term protection.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
