While Belgium still has a large number of new coronavirus contaminations (around 9,000 per day), the situation in hospitals remains stable. “We had already established several scenarios and the preferred scenario was mainly aimed at the administration of the fourth dose at the beginning of autumn or in fact at the end of summer”, explains Sabine Stordeur, the co-leader of the vaccination task force. , at the RTBF. If she is delighted that the current health situation in our country is “very favorable with no prospect of overloading the hospital environment”, she notes “all the same that the people who are hospitalized are mostly very old people who suffer from comorbidities”.
“The Superior Health Council, taking into account all of these factors, recommended not systematically administering a fourth dose to very old people aged 80 and over before the summer. But it is good to do it on an individual basis, precisely depending on the fragility of certain people or the weight of certain comorbidities, ”she explains.
The fourth dose before the fifth?
Clearly, this means that all people aged 80 and over will be able to receive a fourth dose before the summer after discussion with their doctor. The scheme will be the same in nursing homes where there will be no systematic vaccination. The only difference is that the minimum age criterion will be removed. “Since people live in communities, and often they are more fragile people, then they can receive a fourth dose before the summer”, continues Sabine Stordeur, who mentions the date of mid-May for the start of this new campaign. vaccination. These people could receive a fifth dose in the fall, when the epidemic peak could be reached.
Caregivers and people with comorbidities will be able to receive their fourth dose at the end of the summer. “There are no red flags that show these people are particularly at risk,” she concludes.
These recommendations could be reviewed depending on the epidemiological situation in our country.