Updated Questions and Answers on Vaccination with the 3rd Dose of Covid-19 Vaccine

Information on Vaccination with the 3rd Dose of Covid-19 Vaccine

1. Why get vaccinated with the 3rd dose of covid-19 vaccine?
‍The purpose of the 3rd dose of the vaccine is to increase the effectiveness of the vaccination. This is because the results of foreign studies show that approximately 4-6 months after the second dose of vaccination, the effectiveness decreases and the probability of those vaccinated becoming infected increases. Protection declines more rapidly in the elderly, chronically ill and immunocompromised individuals, as is the case with other types of vaccination. The booster 3rd dose of the vaccine is also intended to provide protection against new coronavirus variants.  As with the delta variant, the current omicron 3rd dose may not prevent the disease itself, but it will reduce the risk of severe disease several-fold.

2. When can I get the 3rd dose of the vaccine?
‍The 3rd dose of vaccination against covid-19 disease follows the methodology of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic. The booster dose is currently available for everyone 12 years and older. Administration of the booster dose is recommended 5 months after the second dose. In immunocompromised patients, including people with cancer or immunosuppressive treatment, after organ or stem cell transplantation and other specific groups of people, the 3rd dose can be administered as early as 4 weeks after the second dose after consultation with the treating physician. For Janssen, a booster dose is recommended after 2 months. Clients who wish to be vaccinated with the 3rd dose can register their interest in advance by phone or email to our customer service or via online chat. Our clinic staff will contact them when they are close to the six-month deadline after the previous covid-19 vaccination and arrange a suitable date for vaccination.

3. How can I arrange an appointment for the 3rd dose at H+ or another vaccination site ?
‍To arrange a vaccination appointment at H+ that suits your needs, simply contact the polyclinic's customer service or online chat service staff by phone or email.
Appointments can be booked at vaccination centers or other healthcare facilities via the Covid portal.

At vaccination sites without registration, booking an appointment is not necessary, but if there is an increased demand for vaccination, you can expect to wait.

The vaccination can only be given if the person is in a stable state of health. If the person is suffering from any acute illness at the time of the scheduled vaccination, the vaccination appointment must be rescheduled.  

4. Where and how will the vaccination take place?‍
In the case of vaccination on the premises of the H+ clinic, the vaccination will take place in the office of your personal physician. In other cases, it will take place at the vaccination site of your choice. The administration of the vaccine is identical to that of previous doses.

5. Can I choose the vaccine I want?
‍To enhance vaccination, only mRNA vaccines are used, i.e. Comirnaty (Pfizer/BionTech) and Spikevax (Moderna), which are the only vaccines approved for vaccination so far due to their high efficacy. The new vaccine Nuvaxovid from Novavax is not yet intended for booster dose. The manufacturer is now collecting the necessary data for its approval in this application.

People who were originally vaccinated with other vaccines, such as Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca), will also be re-vaccinated with one of the mRNA vaccines, as studies conducted abroad have confirmed that the combination of vaccines is safe and effective. Compared to conventional vaccines, mRNA vaccines do not contain a live virus or infectious particles and therefore cannot cause disease in the vaccinated person. Contrary to various alarmist messages spread on the internet, they can neither damage nor alter the genetic information (DNA) of vaccinated individuals, nor cause infertility. Health+ has both mRNA vaccines available.

6. Is there a risk of side effects after vaccination against covid-19?
‍Mild side effects similar to those seen after other types of vaccination may occur after covid-19 vaccination. The most commonly reported side effects include tenderness, swelling or pain at the injection site, fatigue and malaise, headache or muscle and joint pain, increased body temperature or fever greater than 38°C, chills, nausea and urge to vomit, or swollen and painful axillary lymph nodes. Most reported adverse reactions were mild to moderate and usually resolved within a few hours or days after vaccination. In rare cases, vaccination can cause a severe allergic (anaphylactic) reaction, but these reactions are very rare. Compared to the 1st dose, the side effects reported after the 2nd and 3rd doses are usually milder and also less frequent. To prevent serious adverse reactions, especially anaphylactic reactions, it is recommended that the vaccinated person wait 15-30 minutes after vaccination in a health facility so that doctors can provide immediate medical attention if complications arise.

7. Is there any prevention against possible side effects of vaccination?
‍The best prevention against potential side effects of vaccination is to take a resting regime 24 to 48 hours before vaccination, reduce stress, avoid alcohol, sports and other physically strenuous activities, and for at least 24 hours after vaccination. Before and after vaccination, it is advisable to get a minimum of 8 hours of good quality sleep. Before vaccination, the immune system can also be supported by a balanced diet with sufficient vitamins, minerals, unsaturated fatty acids and other health boosts, especially vitamins C and D, selenium, zinc and magnesium. Probiotics, for example, can be used to balance the intestinal microflora, which plays an important role in the body's defenses.

8. What should I do if side effects occur?
‍If the side effects are mild, as described in answer 6, rest and symptomatic treatment with antipyretics with paracetamol to reduce fever and analgesics in the form of tablets or ointments to relieve pain is usually sufficient. For nausea, medicines for indigestion, anti-vomiting and for the treatment of diarrhoeal diseases are useful. Pain or swelling at the injection site can be reduced with cold compresses or cool gel packs, and common preparations for relaxing strained muscles can be beneficial. To speed up recovery, increased fluid intake (water, mineral water, tea) should be provided to help eliminate unwanted substances from the body, or rehydration solutions can be used to help replenish important minerals. If these side effects persist for more than 72 hours after the vaccination, worsen, or if other serious symptoms occur, a personal physician should be contacted as soon as possible.

9. Is it possible that additional doses of the vaccine may be required in the future?
‍As the coronavirus mutates, as is the case with influenza, it is possible that new and previously unknown variants of the coronavirus may spread in the future and that the vaccines used may need to be modified. At the same time, it is not yet clear how long protection will last after vaccination, as the immune response may vary from individual to individual. Therefore, it is possible that in future years it may be appropriate to reinforce the vaccination with additional booster doses. For example, vaccination against the aforementioned influenza must be carried out every year and vaccines are adjusted annually according to the currently circulating influenza virus strains. The most effective vaccination schedule for covid-19 is still under investigation.

10. How should parents proceed if they want to have their child vaccinated with the 3rd dose of the vaccine?
‍If the child or adolescent is a client of Health+, parents only need to register in advance their interest in receiving the 3rd dose of the vaccine through our customer service or online chat service. Our pediatricians will be happy to recommend suitable vaccination clinics for pediatric clients.

We no longer vaccinate children at H+ due to very low demand, as we are unable to match the demand of clients with the vaccine doses, which are distributed in packs of at least ten and must be consumed on the same day, and so are then wasted.

11. How do I get a vaccination certificate after vaccination?
‍A certificate of completion of the covid-19 vaccination can be downloaded from the Citizen's Vaccination Portal and can be used in printed paper form or in electronic form when downloaded to a phone or tablet, or in the Tečka mobile app, which is available for free on Google Play and the App Store. It is possible to log in to the vaccination portal by entering an ID card number and birth number (only until the end of 2021), via electronic identity (e.g. NIA, MojeID, BankID, biometric ID, etc.) or by entering a phone number, email and date of birth (the most suitable option for foreign nationals and children without ID). All the necessary information can be found on the Covid portal. Only certificates issued after 1 June 2021 that meet all the requirements set out by the EU are recognised. Older certificates must be replaced by a newly downloaded certificate, which will also indicate the administration of a booster 3rd dose of the vaccine, if applicable. Two other types of certificates can also be downloaded from the vaccination portal – a certificate of negative test result (antigen and PCR separately) and a certificate of past illness (only valid for 180 days after the illness according to the current conditions).

12. Who can answer any additional questions I may have?
‍If you have a specific medical condition, such as a chronic illness or immunocompromised condition, and you would like answers to additional questions, your personal physician or personal pediatrician and adolescents specialist is available to help you.

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You can find more useful information about covid-19 on our website at the links below:

• ‍Post-COVID Syndrome from an internist point of view