Covid-19: Despite decreasing figures, second booster dose for winter not excluded

While the corona figures in Belgium continue to decline, the Supreme Health Council does not exclude a booster dose for the winter period. 

Between 29 April and 5 May, an average of 134 corona patients were admitted to hospital each day, 16 percent less than in the previous week. There are still about 2,000 patients with a corona infection in the Belgian hospitals, a 17 per cent drop compared to the previous week. 122 people are in the intensive care unit, a decrease of 16 percent in one week. Last week, with seventeen, the number of deaths fell by nine per cent.

With an average of 4,483 new infections per day, a 31 per cent drop, the most difficult part seems to be behind us. The Supreme Health Council has stated that the epidemiological situation in Belgium is not worrying at the moment and that the scientific models do not predict any effect of a possible additional booster dose on the number of hospital admissions.

"At this time, the Council does not recommend a second booster dose for the general population," the report said. Also "a systematic second booster dose for people over 80 years of age and residents of rest and care homes (regardless of age)" is not recommended at present.

This means that Belgium will probably not decide to administer a dose to residents of rest and care homes before the summer. But a second booster dose may still be needed before next winter, the report said, adding that "no additional safety concerns related to a second booster dose have been identified at this stage".

The data also show that a regular vaccination schedule (including one booster dose) remains effective against hospitalisation, the report said.

No clear evidence

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) currently see "no clear evidence" of a significant decline in vaccination protection against major diseases in adults up to 80 years of age with a regular immune system.

Furthermore, the timing of any additional booster doses is "critical" and should be based on the latest epidemiological data from Sciensano and the Belgian predictive models, the Council stressed.

Finally, the Council underlined the importance of continuing to promote the first booster dose, in particular for people aged 65 and over and for people at increased health risk of contracting the virus.

(AHU)

© BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM - Illustration picture shows the start of vaccinations at the Skyhall of Brussels Airport in Zaventem, one of the locations where a vaccination village is installed, Monday 22 February 2021.