Following the recommendations of the Superior Council of Infectious Diseases (Conseil supérieur des maladies infectieuses - CSMI), the Government Council, which met today, decided to adapt its vaccination strategy in order to allow heterologous vaccination (sometimes called "mix and match"). In fact, the results of several studies on people vaccinated according to a mixed scheme are encouraging, even if there are still no solid data on the immunogenicity of a mixed vaccination, which would allow the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to give a formal opinion on this subject.
Thus, from Friday 9 July 2021, people under 55 years of age and without vulnerability criteria, who will receive or have already received a 1st dose of Vaxzevria vaccine (formerly AstraZeneca), will receive a 2nd dose of a messenger RNA vaccine (Comirnaty from BioNTech/Pfizer or Spikevax, formerly Moderna).).
It should be noted that there is still the option of receiving the Vaxzevria vaccine as a 2nd dose.
Still according to the CSMI recommendations, for people aged 55 years or older, as well as for people aged 30 years or older and belonging to categories 2b, 3b, 4b or 5b of the vaccination strategy, a vaccination started with Vaxzevria is continued with the same vaccine, at an interval of 12 weeks.
However, for individuals who have developed a deep thromboembolic syndrome with thrombocytopenia following a 1st dose of Vaxzevria, and for individuals with a history of heparin-induced thromboembolism, and in whom a 2nd dose of the same vaccine is contraindicated, the vaccination scheme may be completed with a dose of Comirnaty or Spikevax.
Third dose of COVID-19 vaccine for immunocompromised persons
The Government Council also follows the CSMI's recommendation for a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine for immunocompromised people, especially patients with transplants.
As the CSMI points out, for some people with impaired immunity, the administration of two doses of COVID-19 vaccine is not always sufficient to provide satisfactory protection.
Therefore, a third dose of mRNA vaccine (Comirnaty or Spikevax) may be given to organ or haematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients, and to patients undergoing lymphopenic chemotherapy or immunosuppressive therapy, according to a schedule at 0, 4 and 12 weeks (for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd doses). The 3rd dose can also be given after the 12th week, in case of catch-up of a previous vaccination.
Luxembourg pays particular attention to the enhanced monitoring of the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines through the national reporting system and is making every effort to ensure that the vaccination campaign is as safe and effective as possible while achieving a broad vaccination coverage.
Press release by the Ministry of State / Ministry of Health