Experts reveal if you should get another Covid shot now
While the Covid pandemic may seem like a distant memory, there are still hundreds of cases reported in Queensland every day. Is it time for you to get another Covid shot?
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While the Covid pandemic may seem like a distant memory, there are still hundreds of cases officially reported in Queensland every day, while there is every chance thousands more are going unreported.
Yet, vaccination hesitancy continues to rise – a worrying trend considering the state is experiencing one of its nastiest waves in more than fives years.
In the past six months 310,006 doses of Covid vaccines have been administered — 10.4 per cent less than the same time last year.
We went to the experts to find out: Is it time to get another Covid shot?
It depends on your age
Health experts advise that regular Covid vaccinations or boosters are the best way to maintain protection against severe illness.
The shots are particularly important for anyone aged over 65 years and people at higher risk of contracting the disease.
Anyone aged 18 to 64 is eligible for a booster shot every 12 months.
People aged 65 to 74 are recommended to get a booster every 12 months but are eligible for a dose every six months.
People aged 75 and older are recommended to get a booster every 6 months.
“The Covid-19 jab doesn’t last that long, it’s just the trick of the virus it makes us forget it’s quite around, but for flu we’ve got figures around 7000 cases last week, so we only had 15000 cases of Covid, although they’re only of course the official reported cases,” he said.
If you were recently infected
For people recently infected, Professor McMillan said it was as good as getting the vaccination.
“We are having a doozy respiratory virus season this year. But no it’s not going to go away and the best way of protecting yourself particularly with Influenza virus is ultimately vaccinations,” Professor McMillan said.
If you are at higher risk for severe disease
Professor McMillian said the advice for vaccinations remains the same for ages 65 and over but for those at higher risk for severe disease it is recommended to get a booster.
“When we look at fatalities from Covid, it’s still in that group of essentially 65-plus,” he said.
For certain age groups people at higher risk for severe disease may benefit from a shot.
“If you have a vulnerability, might have diabetes, you might have an immune suppressive conditions, it would be useful thing to do to get vaccinated,” he said.
People aged five to 17 who are severe immunocompromised are eligible every 12 months.
People aged 18 to 74 years are recommended to have a booster every 12 months but are eligible for a dose every six months.
Over-75s are recommended to have a booster every six months.
Protection against new strains of Covid
In July, chief health officer John Gerrard warned the virus was becoming “complex” as it rapidly mutated, with competing strains putting pressure on hospital services.
Dr Gerrard said that three sub-variants of Covid were now in circulation – FLiRT, FLuQE and most recently de-FLiRT.
“Due to this mutation, as well as fluctuating community immunity, we are witnessing more than one wave each year,” he said.
Dr Gerrard assures there is no evidence of increased disease severity associated with any of the new variants.
“Despite the numerous mutations we’ve seen with Covid-19 over the past few years, current vaccines remain effective and are the most crucial measure to protect those at risk of severe disease,” he said.
Professor McMillian said the best protection was to keep up with vaccinations.
“These are well matched to this year’s strain, and you will get good protection from the serious disease by getting vaccinated,” he said.
“We’re already three variants behind, the current vaccines will not stop infection but then again most of our vaccines don’t stop infection.
“We only have two vaccines that do, because that’s not what vaccines do.
“One shot of mescals vaccination you have as a child will last you a lifetime, and we have vaccines like that, but for Covid, we’re always going to be behind.”
The vaccine of choice
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation recommends completing a primary vaccination course with the same vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax or AstraZeneca), with some special circumstances where a mixed primary vaccination course may be recommended.
Surging influenza cases
A four-year-old girl is one of 72 Queenslanders who have lost their lives to the flu so far this year, with data showing mums and dads among the tragic toll – and hospitalisations are already 1000 above the numbers in the horror flu year of 2019.
The newly released grim statistics have fuelled fears that vaccination hesitancy after Covid is setting the state up for future years of totally overwhelmed healthcare services.
The government has announced critical pressure on hospitals this season but experts warn flu cases will continue to soar if Queenslanders avoid the free vaccine.
Only 10 per cent of the 4162 people hospitalised with influenza this year have been immunised.
As of this week 13 deaths were among Queenslanders aged 40 to 64 and 58 among those over 65. The four-year-old was the only child death.
A total of 670 children have been hospitalised and a massive 1584 adults from 18 to 65 is coming close to the 1908 elderly people admitted to hospital.
The figures have trigged the Queensland government to urge people to also get their flu shot.
Vaccination rates on the way down
Queensland infectious diseases expert Professor Nigel McMillan Queensland’s Covid and flu vaccination rates were low.
“We do have such low vaccination rates, like for flu … particularly in children we have seen one fatality in a child of four. No one wants to see that,” Professor McMillan said.
“Part of the reason is of course the pandemic and the issues around Covid fatigue and vaccine fatigue.
“But I know that there’s been a loss of trust, I think in some ways in vaccinations through a lot of social media.”