Who should review and when?

The increase in coronavirus particles in wastewater this year was one to two months earlier than last year, and the pollution level was correspondingly higher than the same period last year. On Friday, the Ministry of Health announced that the first batch of the corona booster vaccine had arrived in Austria. But who should get vaccinated? And when? The most important questions and answers.

Which variant does the new vaccine target?

against the omicron subvariant JN.1 that was prevalent last winter. The subvariant KP.3 is currently dominant, but from an immunological point of view it is very similar to JN.1. “Therefore, we assume that the vaccine will also protect against the KP subvariant,” says. Ursula Wiedemann-SchmidtProfessor of Vaccinology and Director of the Institute of Specific Prevention and Tropical Medicine at the Medical University of Vienna

Who is recommended to get a booster vaccine?

Booster vaccination will be given special It is recommended for people at higher risk of a severe course of illness: generally people over 60 and those with chronic underlying diseases such as those of the lungs, cardiovascular system, kidneys or immune system. “As with influenza, these should be updated annually.” At the same time, booster vaccination is “recommended for everyone who wants to reduce the risk of a possible severe illness” – regardless of how many vaccinations have been received or how many infections have occurred. The Ministry of Health also said that the booster will bring additional benefits to the vaccine recipient, regardless of their previous immunity status, such as reducing the risk of infection and long Covid infection.

At the weekend, molecular biologist Ulrich Ehling recommended not waiting until winter to get a booster vaccine. Should you get vaccinated now or in August?

“I think the main focus will be in September,” Wiedermann-Schmidt said. “When most holidaymakers return, schools reopen, kindergartens are full again and life generally turns indoors again, the infection rate will increase significantly.” High-risk groups – the very elderly, the seriously ill – can of course also be vaccinated in August: But we are not starting a large-scale vaccination campaign in the summer, but are planning it for the autumn. “After vaccination, you also have to balance the fact that after two to three months the number of symptomatic infections will have dropped significantly Wiedermann-Schmidt also advocates more frequent use of masks on planes and in public transport in general.

But will it not work if given together with the flu shot?

“Yes, that would be too late,” said Widmann-Schmidt. The flu vaccination is more likely to take place in November, the corona vaccine should be given in September or early October at the latest. “In principle, I think it is better not to give both vaccines at the same time, even if it is fundamentally possible. But if side effects occur, it would of course be difficult to sort them out if they are given at the same time.”

Previously, it was recommended that healthy people wait at least 6 months from their last infection/vaccination; now it is recommended to wait 12 months. How so?

“Most people have already been exposed to the virus several times through vaccination and/or infection,” says Wiedemann-Schmidt. “This results in a stable basic immunity that lasts for 12 months, even in older people.” This basic immunity also protects against severe disease caused by new subvariants. However, for people with weakened immune systems, an interval of at least four months still applies.

Can’t we also do an antibody test?

The vaccination plan says this is not recommended. The reason is: “To date, it is not possible to define antibody titers that indicate when protection is achieved (no correlates of protection are defined) or how long protection will last at a certain titer level.”

Where can you get vaccinated this year?

As in previous years, vaccinations are carried out by licensed doctors, sometimes at public vaccination centers in cities and municipalities. Affordable You can find a list of appointments for vaccination in Vienna, for example. This should be possible later this week. Initially, 92,000 doses of the Biontech/Pfizer vaccine “Comirnaty Omicron JN.1” were delivered; a total of 1.2 million doses have been ordered for the 2024/25 vaccination season.