Swissmedic, the Swiss Institute of Therapeutics, is discussing the possibility of allowing a third dose of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer/BioNtech and Moderna. However, according to the Federal Vaccination Commission (CFV), there is currently no urgent need for a booster dose.

This content was published on Sep 17, 2021 – 10:05
September 17, 2021 – 10:05

Pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna placed an order for a third (booster) dose last week, Swissmedic said in a statement Thursday.

The COVID-19 vaccines Moderna (Spikevax) and Pfizer/Biontech (Comirnaty®) are currently approved in Switzerland for people 12 years of age and older and are given in two doses.

Swissmedic is examining the safety and efficacy of a third dose on the basis of available clinical data and assessing whether the available information is sufficient to extend the corresponding authorization.

A booster is a supplemental dose of the vaccine given after a certain period of time to people who have completed the primary vaccination, in order to boost their immune memory. Booster doses will be necessary if protection from a full initial vaccination is no longer sufficient to prevent the acute development of COVID-19.

The current clinical data of the mRNA vaccines used so far in Switzerland, as well as the results of the studies conducted, show that with the administration of two doses, protection against the development of severe disease is preserved. Therefore, CFV considers that there is currently no urgent need to administer booster doses to the entire population.

The amount of antibodies decreases slowly after primary immunization with a dual vaccine. Thus, protection against infections and asymptomatic or mild diseases is also reduced, while protection against the development of serious diseases, including hospitalization, is ensured for a longer period.

This is because, in addition to antibodies, complete vaccination also supports the production of memory B cells and T cells, which mainly guarantee protection against severe forms of the disease. The statement stated that this is when it is reactivated after contact with the virus and the secretion of large amounts of antibodies, which in turn fight the pathogen quickly and efficiently.