Covid-19: Third vaccine dose criteria ‘very restricted’, doctors say

By writer to www.stuff.co.nz

Medical doctors are discovering it troublesome to work out which of their sufferers are immune-suppressed sufficient to be eligible for a 3rd major dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

It’s estimated between 10,000 and 20,000 New Zealanders qualify, in accordance with the Royal New Zealand School of GPs, however the Ministry of Well being’s strict criteria means affected person data need to be checked earlier than they get the go-ahead.

“There are some very straightforward folks to establish who’re on ‘X’ drugs or who’ve had a kidney transplant, we all know these numbers and have them in our books,” stated Dr Samantha Murton, the faculty’s president and a Wellington GP.

“It is the nuanced drugs prescribed by a clinician in hospital, or it might rely once they had their vaccine in relation to sure remedy,” she stated.

Group three of the vaccine rollout included anybody with an autoimmune illness or on medication that suppress immunity, however the third dose is limited to the severely immune-suppressed, like folks with HIV or who take very explicit medication.

STUFF

Covid-19 technical advisory group recommends folks aged 12 and over who’re severely immuno-compromised obtain a 3rd major dose of the vaccine, Dr Ashley Bloomfield says. (First revealed October 19, 2021)

Murton stated her follow in central Wellington had a listing of as much as 30 sufferers out of 3500 believed to be eligible. “And that is taken a little bit of effort going by way of all of the lists and medicines.”

Stuff spoke to a number of GPs, all of whom stated they had been nonetheless working to establish eligible sufferers. They stated folks ought to get in contact with their docs in the event that they thought they could match the invoice.

An apparent candidate is Cromwell lady Jo McKenzie McLean – in her 39th week of chemotherapy for stage four bowel cancer. Specialists lately discovered spots on her lung.

“It’s going to be a giant battle,” stated McKenzie McLean, who’s a Stuff reporter within the South Island.

Given her immune system was continuously underneath assault from most cancers medication, catching Covid-19 would have an effect on her capacity to deal with chemotherapy. Deciding to undergo with a 3rd jab was straightforward, she stated.

Jo McKenzie McLean/Stuff

Jo McKenzie McLean final week in hospital, the place she is present process her 19th spherical of chemotherapy for stage 4 bowel most cancers.

“I’ll be buggered if I beat most cancers simply to have Covid kill me,” she stated. “I am already dealing with a battle for my life anyway, I am ready to threat the negative effects of a vaccine that I’ve confidence in.”

McKenzie McLean deliberate to have her third dose on Friday between most cancers remedies.

The restrictions had been out of an abundance of warning, Dr Nikki Turner, director of the Immunisation Advisory Centre, stated.

“On a person degree, you don’t understand how they’re going to reply. There may be proof round this, but it surely’s small numbers, [most] information is on two doses and a booster.”

Third jabs are thought of off-label, not authorized by MedSafe, and solely accessible underneath Part 25 of the Medicines Act. So to entry a 3rd dose, sufferers should present knowledgeable consent and get a prescription from a GP.

Third doses will not be thought of boosters, and are separate to the rollout of booster shots for the general population.

That’s as a result of severely compromised persons are not thought of absolutely vaccinated till they’ve had three doses, as their response to the vaccine is weakened.

SUPPLIED

Immunologist Dr Nikki Turner says third doses are extremely restricted as a result of information continues to be rising on how folks reply to a 3rd major dose of Covid-19 vaccines.

Due to this fact, anybody up for a 3rd dose would nonetheless be eligible for a booster six months after their third shot, Turner stated. “So, as a substitute of two, plus one, they may have three, plus one.”

Main well being organisations and district well being boards had been serving to to establish sufferers, but when folks weren’t positive, they need to ask their GP, she stated.

The Ministry of Well being didn’t reply to requests for remark.

How do I do know if I am eligible?

The eligibility standards for a 3rd major dose has been damaged into 4 teams. The primary consists of folks born with out full immune defences, anybody with HIV or AIDS, individuals who have had leukaemia within the 12 months earlier than vaccination, or anybody who’s had a stem cell therapy up to now two years.

The second group is anybody who, within the six months earlier than being vaccinated had both: a strong organ transplant, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or focused remedy for autoimmune illnesses.

The third and fourth teams cowl individuals who have been on excessive dose steroids within the month earlier than getting vaccinated; or long-term steroids, excessive dose immunosuppressant medication, or a mix of sure immunosuppressant medication within the three months earlier than their vaccine.