The Andalusian Health Service (SAS) began this Friday to vaccinate immunocompromised patients with a third dose of messenger RNA vaccines (preferably the same as that administered previously) as part of the updated vaccination strategy approved on Wednesday at the Interterritorial Council after obtaining the approval of the Public Health Commission. This third dose, which will be administered at the usual vaccination points by appointment, is aimed at 13,678 patients with solid organ transplants or people who are receiving or have received immunosuppressive therapy as a result of a solid organ transplant, regardless of the time that has elapsed. By provinces, there are 975 in Almería; 2,064 in Cádiz; 1,506 in Córdoba; 1,366 in Granada; 749 in Huelva; 921 in Jaén; 2,684 in Málaga and 3,413 in Seville.
This third dose will also be administered to people with haematopoietic progenitor transplants (allogeneic and autologous transplants). In case of transplantation in the last two years, this additional dose of mRNA vaccine will be administered if they had received the two-dose regimen after transplantation. The additional dose should be administered at least 28 days after the second dose. If the transplant is recent and the patient had received two doses of vaccine prior to the transplant, two additional doses (at the standard interval) are recommended, starting between two and six months after the procedure. Finally, if no previous covid vaccination has been received, the vaccination schedule is three doses of mRNA.
This third dose is also indicated for patients treated with anti-CD20 drugs, including rituximab, ocrelizumab, ofatumumab, obinutuzumab, ibritumumab tiuxetan, veltuzumab and tositumomab. The additional dose should be administered during treatment (ideally 15 days before the appropriate medication cycle) or, given the long duration and immunosuppressive power of the anti-CD20 drugs, patients will continue to be considered immunosuppressed for a period of 3 months for all anti-CD20 drugs, except for rituximab, which will be extended to 6 months, so that those who, once treatment has concluded, have received two doses of vaccine during the same period, would therefore be candidates for receiving this additional dose during the period of immunosuppression.
