Third vaccination – these groups of people have priority

The Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) recommends the booster vaccination to all people over the age of 18. Risk groups should be prioritized as in spring. These groups of people should receive the third corona vaccination first.

1. Older people: Third vaccination possible

The effectiveness of the immune system usually decreases with age. It is then no longer able to form sufficient antibodies and fight off pathogens. Despite being fully vaccinated, older people may have lower levels of antibodies – or break down existing antibodies more quickly.

A third vaccination makes sense to prevent breakthrough infections in older people and, for example, in hospitals and retirement homes. People over the age of 70 and people who live or are cared for in facilities for older people should be given explicit priority.

2. People with immunodeficiency: there are no antibodies

One in ten immune patients does not develop antibodies against the coronavirus after the mRNA vaccination with BioNTech/Pfizer. The reason for this is usually the chronic inflammation of the immune system – in those affected, vaccination reactions such as headaches or flu-like symptoms sometimes do not occur.

It is advisable to check the antibody level two to three weeks after the second vaccination. If the antibody titer is low, a booster vaccination, possibly as a cross-vaccination, can be carried out to achieve greater protection against SARS-CoV-2.

Common autoimmune diseases are:

• Multiple Sclerosis
• Ulcerative colitis
• Crohn’s disease
• Rheumatoide Arthritis
• lupus  erythematosus
• Sjogren’s Syndrome
• Morbus Basedow
• Polymyositis
• Myasthenia gravis

3. People taking immunosuppressants

After an organ transplant, with various autoimmune diseases or  allergies  , those affected receive immunosuppressants or cortisone, which also has an immunosuppressive effect. These special drugs suppress the patient’s own immune system to prevent the foreign immune system from rejecting it.

As a result, the immune system reacts only weakly or not at all to the corona vaccination. Less or no antibodies are produced. Here, too, the antibodies should be measured and, if necessary, a third vaccination should be discussed with the responsible doctor.

4. Cancer patients

People with cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy or other drugs to fight the disease also produce fewer antibodies against  SARS-CoV-2 .

Cancer drugs often slow down the cell division of the cancer cells – however, the immune cells, which are responsible for the formation of antibodies, also work more slowly in this context.

In order to protect the patients from a severe course of the corona virus and to achieve a high number of antibodies, a third vaccination could also be useful here.

5. Persons in need of care

In addition to older people, those in need of care can also be vaccinated for the third time. A weakened  immune system  and close contact with caregivers are reasons to think about the booster vaccination to prevent possible breakthrough infections caused by the delta variant of SARS-CoV-2.

6. Caregivers and close contacts of immunocompromised people

In addition to people in need of care and people with an immune deficiency, contact persons or nursing staff should also consider a third corona vaccination in order to continue to protect themselves and others as best as possible. The booster is also recommended here six months after the second vaccination.

7. Fully vaccinated individuals with vector vaccines

Since the vaccination protection provided by the vaccines from AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson could have less effectiveness against the delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, people who have received the vector vaccines from AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson will also have a third, respectively second corona vaccination recommended to continue to maintain vaccination protection. The booster is done with an  mRNA vaccine .

8. Incompletely vaccinated individuals