Corona infections that have gone through lead “only to a postponement of these vaccinations and to an improved immunity situation, but in no way replace individual vaccinations”. One reason is omicron. “Infection with an omicron variant has different immunological properties than infections with previous variants. Therefore, an infection no longer replaces vaccination in the basic immunization and neutralizing antibodies are also irrelevant for the vaccination recommendation,” it says.
“Respiratory infections leave no lasting systemic immunity,” it also argues. The NIG recommendations were changed in April, the daily newspaper “Die Presse” reported on Thursday. The experts also emphasize that an infection only “counts” in the vaccination schedule if it has been confirmed by a PCR test.
Three vaccinations for basic immunization
A total of three vaccinations for the basic immunization are therefore recommended for those aged five and over who have recovered. The change was triggered by Omikron. The variant discovered in November 2021 has also dominated in Austria since the beginning of the year. In the meantime, five “sublineages” or subvariants have developed (BA.1 to BA.5), which are divided genetically into further subgroups. Omikron can currently be divided into 74 (as of April 20) sublineages or their subgroups. It can be assumed that more will emerge.
The vaccinations against Omikron are less effective than the predecessor Delta. However, the current data from Austria would also prove a “good” protective effect against infection after three vaccinations, according to the NIG. When it comes to avoiding hospitalizations and deaths, vaccinated people still have an advantage over unvaccinated people anyway.
Vaccination from four weeks after infection
In the case of “recovery and then vaccination”, the first of the three vaccinations should take place around four weeks after the infection has ended. If a PCR test-confirmed infection occurs in the interval between the first and second “sting”, the second vaccination is recommended from four weeks after recovery, and then the third six months later. If infection occurs at least 21 days after the first two vaccinations, a third vaccination is recommended for everyone aged five years and older starting six months after recovery. The vaccination interval from the last infection is therefore calculated.
If you become infected after the third vaccination, no further vaccination is currently recommended. However, it can be assumed that these people will also need another “stab” before the next waves of infection are expected in late summer/autumn 2022, according to the NIG. Speaking of autumn: Children aged five to eleven should have their third vaccination six months after the second, but no later than when school starts. Whether further vaccine doses or booster vaccinations with the currently available vaccines or with special ones aimed at omicrons will be necessary in the future is “the subject of ongoing investigations”.
Source: Nachrichten
