The Academy of Sciences (AS) has published this Monday the study on coronavirus and its spread in Albania, stating that 73.3% of the Albanian population has been immunized so far.

The AS study emphasizes that another boosting dose of the vaccine is needed for people over 60 years of age and those with concomitant diseases.

Also, the Ministry of Health emphasizes that vaccination of young people over the age of 12 should be planned and recommended with vaccines approved for these ages.

"The serological test that determines the antibodies present in the blood against the SARS-CoV-2 virus is an examination that provides valuable information on the degree of population-specific immunization in the course of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Immunology and Immunogenetics Research Center at the Biotechnology and Genetics Unit of the Academy of Sciences has monitored the level of seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the Albanian population since the first 6 months of the Pandemic. In all three phases of the seroprevalence study in a significant sample of the urban population of the City of Tirana, the same methodology was applied.

In the third phase of the study that started on June 16, 2021 to July 23, 2021, 1527 residents aged 20 to 75 years were called for testing who were randomly selected from the lists of family doctor registers. The overall seroprevalence of anti-S1-SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG antibodies was 73.3%. In all likelihood, this percentage reflects the immune status of the Albanian population after the third wave of COVID-19 that was caused by the Alpha variant and before the current wave Delta.

From this we can conclude that currently a rapid vaccination immunization of at least 20% of the Albanian population still unvaccinated is needed in order to reach the new threshold of collective immunity which is estimated at about 90% of the population for the Delta variant.

To prevent reinfection in vaccinated individuals or those who have passed the infection over 6 months before, it is discussed to carry out a booster dose of the vaccine in those over 60 years of age, as well as in those with concomitant immunosuppressive diseases. This is in line with current international scientific recommendations.

Also plan and recommend vaccination of young people over the age of 12 with approved vaccines for these ages. As the latest scientific data suggests, a single dose of vaccine at these ages should be sufficient to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection across school classrooms.

Vaccination of young people over 12 years of age is recommended to parents only for those young people who have not passed the infection and especially for those who have chronic concomitant diseases", it is said among others in the study.