Platform opens for the 4th dose of Covid-19 vaccine for people over 80 years old

The appointment scheduling platform opens today, April 7, for vaccination with the 4th dose or 2nd booster dose with the vaccine against COVID-19, for citizens over the age of 80, following the National Vaccination Committee’s recommendation for a fourth dose for those over the age of 60.

The platform will be opened in phases, by age group in ten-year increments. Thus, following those over 80, the appointment platform will open next week for the 70–79 age group, and subsequently for the 60–69 age group.

Approximately 1.3 million citizens over the age of 60 are eligible for the second booster dose.

The National Vaccination Committee recommends administering the second booster dose with the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines, at least 4 months after receiving the first booster dose (third dose).

For individuals who have become ill after receiving the first booster dose, a second booster dose is not recommended.

As a reminder, starting January 20, citizens in the immunocompromised group are receiving their fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The second booster dose for this group is administered 3 months after the first booster. This group also includes children and adolescents aged 12 to 17 who are immunocompromised or have high-risk medical conditions.

As the chair of the National Vaccination Committee explained during an emergency briefing Maria Theodoridou, older adults, as well as immunocompromised individuals, are at increased risk for severe disease and complications. These groups may exhibit a lower immune response following vaccination from the outset, and this response appears to wane more rapidly.

Ms. Theodoridou explained the rationale behind the decision to administer a fourth dose, emphasizing: “Due to the increased transmissibility of the «Omicron» variant—and particularly the «Omicron 2» subvariant, the easing of restrictive measures, and the resulting change in public behavior, we continue to observe an increased number of infections globally which, fortunately, mainly due to vaccination, result in a proportionally smaller number of hospitalizations. Taking into account the international literature, the country’s current epidemiological data, combined with vaccination coverage and the time that has elapsed since the first booster dose, the National Vaccination Committee estimates that the potential relative benefit of a second booster dose, the fourth dose as mentioned, is expected to be greater in individuals aged 70 and older, as well as in those residing in long-term care facilities for the elderly.Furthermore, this applies to individuals aged 60 and older, particularly those with serious underlying medical conditions. This second booster dose is expected to reduce the likelihood of hospitalization.”.