Over 65s need a third jab if they have not recovered from COVID too

Over 65s need a third jab if they have not recovered from COVID too, according to a new study.

People who are over 65 years old, who have been vaccinated and have had COVID have been discovered to have high levels of antibodies, which protect them three months after having been vaccinated. Sadly though for people over 65 who have not had COVID as well as having been fully vaccinated, their immunity drops. The study revealed that these people need to be vaccinated as soon as possible with a third dose.

Buenaventura Clotet, the author of the study spoke to the Espejo Publico program and explained. “Our study, carried out on 100 people over the age of 65, shows that those who have received the vaccine but have not previously had the disease have a lower response than those who have had the disease and have been vaccinated,” said Clotet.

“People who had been infected and were vaccinated against COVID-19 with two doses after three months had correct levels of immunity, while people over 65 who had only been vaccinated and had not had the disease had very low levels of protective antibodies, neutralising antibodies”.

Clotet also explained how vaccine third doses should be prioritised to give the best protection to the elderly. “This has to lead us to prioritise when we start giving the 3rd dose to all those over 65 years old, especially those over 80 years old to receive the 3rd dose. First of all those who had only received 2 doses of vaccines but had not had the disease. This is important when it comes to structuring how these people are treated and prioritising the vaccines, the destination of the vaccines,” said Clotet.

The study by IrsiCaixa and Atención Primaria Metropolitana Norte of the Catalan Health Institute (ICS), found that after three months people over 65 who had only had the vaccine had a far lower immunity to the virus.

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