How do countries administer the 4th dose of Covid-19 vaccine? 9
Late last year, Israel became the first country in the world to approve the fourth dose of Covid-19 vaccine for all people aged 60 and over, creating a basis for many other countries to make similar moves.
After Israel, many countries deployed 4th dose vaccination for the elderly, most of them voluntarily.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 29 approved 4 doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for people aged 50 and older.
Both the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made this decision without holding a meeting with the Vaccine Advisory Committee, a rare move early in the pandemic.
In March, American experts gave mixed opinions about the need for a fourth dose of vaccine. However, in May, when the BA.4 and BA.5 strains appeared, many people thought that the fourth dose
To date, the UK has not approved the fourth dose of Covid-19 vaccine.
However, Health Minister Sajid Javid has asked officials to `be ready to vaccinate people aged 50 and over`.
His comments come as sub-lines of the Omicron strain sweep across Europe, with infections and hospitalizations increasing.
Mr Javid said that although there has not been an official decision on the type of vaccine used, it is likely that the campaign will be expanded to all adults.
A man receives a Covid-19 vaccine injection at Arena Nord in Frederikshavn, Jutland, Denmark.
Denmark is the latest country in Europe to plan to vaccinate all people over 50 with a fourth dose.
Initially, the country planned to provide a second booster dose to especially vulnerable people.
Thousands of people will travel to Denmark this week to watch the Tour de France race, raising concerns that the epidemic will become more serious.
Member states Hungary, Denmark and Sweden decided to deploy the fourth dose before the EU recommendation due to concerns about waning immunity.
After a long period of consideration, Asian countries such as South Korea, Japan and Singapore have in turn vaccinated people with the 4th dose.
Singapore has been administering a second booster dose to people aged 80 and over since August. In addition, people living and working in nursing facilities and people with underlying immune or chronic diseases are also eligible for vaccination.
The decision was made after a series of studies showed that the effect of the third dose wanes in protection over time.
The Japanese Ministry of Health began providing free doses of 4 Pfizer or Moderna vaccines from May 25.
The basic medical conditions to receive the 4th dose are chronic respiratory, cardiovascular, kidney, and liver diseases;
According to senior researchers at Soroka University, Tel Aviv University, the fourth dose of vaccine is 34% effective against infection, 64-67% effective in preventing hospitalization.
