More than 20 million Spaniards have already received the third dose of the covid vaccine. A booster dose that has just recently begun to be delivered to the younger population in some places, and which a minority continues to oppose. According to the current Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas (CIS) barometer from January, 84.5% of those who have already got at least one dosage indicate they are willing to get the booster, but 9% refuse the additional shot and 4% are skeptical, as reported in El Periódico de España.
Fear, mistrust, questions about their security, or simply astonishment at the contradiction of some health-care messages are among the reasons for the refusal. “To everyone who doubts, I say faith in science, which has proven us that we need it,” says Isabel Jimeno, president of the Spanish Society of General and Family Physicians’ Vaccines working committee (SEMG).
According to the Ministry of Health figures released on Wednesday, the number of individuals who had received at least one dose of covid vaccination was 39,080,436 (92.6 % of those over the age of 12), and the number of people who had completed a full course (two doses) was 38,264,820. (90.7%). There were a total of 20,289,629 people who had received the third injection. By age bracket—booster vaccination began with the oldest and is declining in order—the percentage of vaccinated people over 70 years old is 91.4%; those over 60,90.3%; those over 50, 82.5%; and those over 40, 72.3%.
With such data, it is safe to say that the booster vaccination delivery has been a full success, according to Dr. Jimeno. That is why, she adds, all patients who come for consultation and express any reservations – the majority of whom claim to have already been infected – are reassured of their abilities to defend themselves. It has not been necessary in the case of the elderly, he continues, but there is a group, which he sets between 20 and 40, who are more “critical.” Even so, she adds, if it is explained to them that reinforcement does have benefits, they will eventually give in. “There are very few pure denialists, those who truly do not believe in the vaccine; another thing is who raises doubts, which is fine,” continues the doctor.
Covid vaccine: “I don’t trust.”
“I’m not a denialist, but I don’t trust. I’m not frightened of the vaccine – I got two earlier doses and was convinced – but I’d rather wait because (the health authorities’) criteria are continuously changing, and I’ll see what happens”. The speaker is Julia Martín (figurative name), a 50-year-old Galician woman who has declined the invitation to take the third shot for the time being.
Among her justifications is the Public Health Commission’s recent decision to change the criteria for the third covid dose in the adult population that has passed coronavirus either asymptomatically or with symptoms. Until until, the standard practice was to provide the dose after four weeks. However, at this Tuesday’s meeting, they decided to recommend the third dose five months following infection diagnosis.
“Just as they changed with this, they may later say that a new variant of covid-19 appears and this vaccine no longer protects, so I’m going to wait and see what happens because, in theory, with the second dose, I’m already sufficiently protected not to end up seriously in a hospital and, knowing that with another dose you can get the same infection, I prefer to wait,” Galician Julia Martín insists. She adds that she will continue to take the same precautions as before, avoiding crowds and wearing a mask for as long as necessary.
Covid vaccine adverse consequences
This is not a one-off occurrence. Although it is a minority, as evidenced by the most recent CIS barometer, there are those who defend identical grounds for not obtaining the third dose. In other circumstances, according to diverse testimonials obtained by El Periódico de España among individuals who refuse the third shot, there are those who point to the association between coronavirus vaccines and menstrual difficulties, for example.
Women who, after completing the whole prescription, do not want to take another dose for fear that their problems would worsen. In Galicia, a group of researchers from the Hospital Clínico de Santiago de Compostela has begun a study to establish what changes occur and to objectively demonstrate this association. Dr. Jiménez raises her worries about the SEMG: “It appears that is not so clear,” she says.
There are also those who, despite having received the two previous doses out of fear of ending up in the hospital – a message that has been received- are reconsidering because they believe that, given the explosion of cases associated with the omicron variant, a new dose will not protect them from infection. And others who, in addition to calling themselves denialists, believe that pharmaceutical firms are putting pressure to release new doses in order to increase profits.
“Nobody knows what will happen in the future, nor do we know what variants will exist. We are in the midst of a global pandemic. We can observe what is going on nearly in real time, including the research that are being conducted. And, while they do repeat the infection argument, we must reiterate that, owing to these doses, as well as the third dose, and also for the rest of the population, beyond immunocompromised or more exposed individuals, we are getting out of where we were in 2020, which was very difficult”.
Covid vaccination carried out by communities
This publication has inquired as to how the third dose campaign is perceived in places where, like in Andalusia, it has just recently been introduced for the youngest. “It is too early to make an assessment; we have only just begun,” said the Ministry of Health. “We prioritize by age here, so children are the last to be immunized. We will not be able to evaluate until the administration is completed “, they add on behalf of the Valencian Community.
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