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The fourth dose of the corona vaccine for people aged 60 and over is being done in earnest, but the rate of inoculation is slow at about 6%.

There are a lot of people who keep thinking about whether it is right or not.



Let's talk with Cho Dong-chan, a medical reporter.



Q. Why are there different opinions about the 4th vaccination?



[Cho Dong-chan / Medical reporter (specialist): Omicron mutation is in full swing right now.

However, experts have different opinions as to whether the original fit is correct.

The fourth inoculation is effective in preventing Omicron infection, but it is only two months old, so it is difficult to recommend the fourth inoculation for the purpose of preventing infection.

Importantly, there is a study that the death prevention effect is 76%, and this is maintained for about four months.

For this purpose, it would be just right.

My mother also got it today.]



Q. Should I wait for a mutant vaccine?



[Cho Dong-chan / Medical reporter (specialist): Omicron mutation vaccine is currently being researched.

You never know how effective it will be or when it will come out.

However, the elderly who received the 3rd dose in November and December of last year are now in a state of weakened immunity.

However, there are predictions that a new mutation may appear this fall and that the trend may come again.

Countries are now loosening travel restrictions, so this time may be moved forward to summer.

It would be better to get it right than to wait for uncertainty, but I don't think there is any need to rush if you are usually healthy.

Because age does not determine immunity.

If you are in your 60s, healthy, you may already have the immunity to prevent death with the third vaccination.

So if you are healthy, there is no need to rush.

Also, those who have been infected for the third time can get the fourth.

Medically, it is a better immune state than the 4th shot.

It must be a matter of choice.]



Q. What are the side effects of the 4th vaccine?



[Cho Dong-chan / Medical reporter (specialist): All vaccines have side effects.

4th degree side effects appear.

However, if major side effects did not appear by the 3rd time, the probability of new side effects appearing at the 4th time is low.

You can also get the Novavax vaccine.

In clinical trials, there were fewer side effects than Pfizer and Moderna.]



Q. Which vaccine should I get?



[Cho Dong-chan / Medical reporter (specialist): Even if you get Pfizer up to the 3rd round, you can get Novavax at the 4th round.

All other cross-inoculations are possible.

If you look at the study published by Novavax, the 3rd dose of Novavax was applied to those who received 2nd dose with Pfizer and Moderna, and the neutralizing antibody of Omicron increased 73 times.

That's more than a Pfizer 3rd car is 25x, and a Moderna 3rd is 37x.

However, other studies have shown that Novavax's cellular immunity, that is, the immunity that fights directly when a virus enters, is slightly lower than that of Pfizer and Moderna.

Each had its own strengths and weaknesses.]



(CG: Hong-Sik Kim, So-Min Eom)



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