Chief coordinator of the COVID-19 mass vaccination campaign in Romania Valeriu Gheorghita said on Tuesday that people vaccinated with two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine can show up for a third dose at vaccination clinics, recommending booking in advance.

"Anyone can show up today at all the COVID-19 vaccination centres that have one of two types of vaccines - BioNTech Pfizer or Moderna - both booking in advance or with no booking, by presenting the identity card," said Gheorghita.

He pointed out that the third dose vaccination process is no different from the other two.

"Vaccination is carried out in the same way - medical triage, seeking consent, actual vaccination and post-vaccination monitoring. Each vaccinated individual receives a vaccination certificate that includes the third dose of vaccine according to the vaccine we choose to take for this booster dose. (...) I know that a person who also takes dose three, if he or she downloads his or her digital certificate again the certificate will be updated to include this dose, although we should understand very clearly that the validity of the certificate does not change, meaning that two doses are enough to certify that a person is fully vaccinated as of now," said Gheorghita.

He pointed out that the booster shot is not contraindicated if the two-dose vaccination is complete and there is a history of falling ill with the disease, but postponing it is recommended.

He added that people who got vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are not recommended the booster dose yet.

Gheorghita also showed that this week a decision will be made regarding the booster dose that the people vaccinated with Astra Zeneca will have to follow.

He explained that Israel has the vastest experience with the administration of the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccines, showing that there are about three million doses administered there, which means that 50% of the population has received the third dose of the vaccine.

"The results are very good, in that the efficiency is more than 95% than in the case of actual infection, against having a positive test, and more than 97% than against severe forms of the disease that require hospitalisation. As such, the risk of infection decreases at least 11-fold compared with only two doses, and the risk of severe forms decreases approximately 20-fold in those who receive the third dose as well," he said.

Gheorghita said that, according to Israeli data, the number and intensity of side effects after the booster shots is similar to what is recorded after the first two doses.

He maintained that Romania is not facing public reluctance over the third dose, but over the initial two-dose schedule. AGERPRES (RO - author: Florentina Peia, editor: Mihai Simionescu; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)