Immunization experts concerned about low doses of Omicron boosters

There is a “lack of urgency” regarding vaccinations, especially bivalent COVID-19 boosters, says the Immunization Advice Center.

Updated Omicron targeted vaccine (Pfizer BA.4/5 bivalent vaccine) is now available From April, those who are 30 years old or older are eligible.

According to Ministry of Health data, last updated on 12 May, 893,157 people, or 52.5% of those eligible, received the second booster dose and 289,402 received the third booster dose.

Nicky Turner, Medical Director of Immunization Consultation Center, said: Checkpoint There was concern about the intake of boosters for the new coronavirus.

“We’re now in the fourth wave of the coronavirus, and it’s not yet in a winter pattern, but it’s still there and we don’t know when the next wave will come,” Turner said. .

“I expect it will eventually fall into a seasonal pattern, but at this stage it’s just rolling in,” she said.

“So we have to keep thinking that the coronavirus is out there. It’s real. Hundreds of New Zealanders still die every year and we will continue to do so I guess.”

Turner said people were becoming complacent with the status quo.

“There’s a lack of urgency. I think we’ve always had this problem with vaccines. It’s invisible and oblivious,” she said.

“People forget how bad this disease is until we see it or feel it. is bothering me.

“So we have lost the urgency to worry about this disease. The flu is the same. The flu is a killer. Yet we are too complacent. It really affects us.” Until then, I take it for granted.”

Turner said there are likely a variety of reasons for the slow adoption, including pandemic fatigue.

“I think people just feel that we were there and we did it and we moved on. You know, it’s like the flu. It’s still there in our community. We forget that it’s a serious illness,” Turner said.

“But there are many other reasons. I think our community is a little bit polarized. [beliefs] in the media and social media. Some people feel that they have been damaged by living through that missionary period in our history,” she said.

“And there are some systemic issues around whether or not we can go out and make sure we get the vaccine.”

Immunization Consultation Center Medical Director Nicky Turner
photograph: RNZ / Angus Dreever

There was still some confusion about the purpose of the bivalent booster dose, Turner said.

“There are many people [still] Especially the elderly are at risk of COVID-19,” she said.

“Older people are 40 times more likely to be hospitalized and much more likely to die than younger people.

“People who have not been vaccinated are much more likely to be hospitalized, [and] Because it targets people with a medical condition, many people are still at risk of COVID-19, even if they have had COVID-19 and have had three doses of the vaccine. but it’s not too dangerous for everyone at the moment. higher risk. ”

According to Ministry of Health data, 35.3% of the 50-64 year old group and 69.1% of the 65 and older group received a second booster dose.

The boosters also helped restore a weakened immune system, Turner said.

“Vaccine immunity works similarly [to infection immunity] to protect us. But it weakens so it needs a booster, think again that like the flu vaccine, a booster is needed to maintain immunity.

“I think what many people don’t realize is that as we get older, the immune response in younger people gets better and stronger. We could suffer more severe consequences of COVID-19. will be higher.”

Bivalent boosters are available to all adults over the age of 30, people with serious medical conditions, and pregnant women.

“If you have severe asthma or heart, lung or kidney problems, a vaccine can really help protect you from severe COVID-19,” Turner said.

“We may still be infected, but we hope it doesn’t get worse, we don’t go to the hospital, and of course we don’t die.”