– I’m terrified of being infected. I’m afraid of ending up in a respirator, and that I might not wake up at all, says Anne-Lise A. Olsen. news meets her at Akershus University Hospital (Ahus), where she, as one of the first in this country, will receive a fifth coronary vaccine. She is offered a fifth dose because she participates in the Nor-vaC study. The study is a collaborative project between Diakonhjemmet Hospital and Ahus, where they examine the antibody response after coronary vaccination in patients with joint, intestinal and liver disease, who are on immunosuppressive treatment. – I have a liver transplant, and I also have an intestinal disease, says Anne-Lise. After she joined the Nor-vaC study, the researchers regularly measured her antibody values. – It seems that I get a slight hint of antibodies three to five weeks after vaccination, but after three months the antibodies are completely gone, says Anne-Lise. Affects many Chief physician Kristin Kaasen Jørgensen leads the Nor-vaC study at Akershus University Hospital. Photo: Paal Wergeland / news So far, findings from the Nor-vaC study, as well as international studies, show that patients with severely weakened immune systems have a poorer response to the coronary vaccine compared to healthy people. The causes of a weakened immune system can be many, including the patient’s underlying disease and the use of immunosuppressive drugs. 1,000 liver transplants. – We see that the liver transplant recipients respond less well to the coronary vaccine than healthy people, and we suspect that the antibody level in the transplant recipients decreases faster after vaccination. But there are also some who have no response to the vaccine at all, says chief physician Kristin Kaasen Jørgensen, who leads the Nor-vaC study at Ahus. Tests on 80 liver-transplanted FHIs have previously recommended that people with severely weakened immune systems take three doses as basic vaccination as well as one-fourth refresher dose three months later. However, for the group of patients who are known to have the worst immune response to the vaccine, FHI has opened up for individual assessments to be made for further vaccination beyond four doses. Therefore, this week the hospital is offering a fifth dose to 80 liver transplant patients to see how they respond to the vaccine. – We see that the number of patients who respond well to the vaccine increases slightly for each dose given, says Jørgensen and emphasizes that the vast majority of patients tolerate the vaccine well without more side effects than in healthy people. – A new wave is coming When the omikron variant gradually took over and became dominant in Norway, it gradually became clear that the risk of hospitalization decreased dramatically compared with previous variants. – But the omicron variant can also be dangerous for the organ transplant recipients, says Jørgensen. – The problem is that we know very little about who develops serious disease of the transplanted. Therefore, we currently recommend repeated vaccination of particularly vulnerable groups, says the superior. How many doses do they need? – Now we are in a period where the virus does not do much damage, but we expect a new wave of infections in the autumn. How this develops will then be decisive for what we recommend next. But we see that it may be relevant with a sixth dose as well, says Jørgensen. Adapting everyday life Anne-Lise A. Olsen does not experience that the corona pandemic is over for her. She still avoids large gatherings. Photo: Hallgeir Aunan / news Since February, practically all corona measures have been removed, and in combination with the omicron variant being highly contagious, large parts of the population have been through the disease. Also Anne-Lise. She became infected in March. – Luckily it went well with me then, but I am still afraid of being infected. Therefore, Anne-Lise still retains some measures for herself and her family. – I avoid large gatherings, and I avoid going to the store and taking public transport, says Anne-Lise. She is still happy that the rest of society gets to experience a more normal everyday life again. – I understand that it is important for the economy, for the workplaces and not least for children and young people that society is open. But for people like me, it’s a bit stressful, she says.
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Here Anne-Lise (33) tests the blood before the fifth coronary vaccine – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
