Is the new COVID-19 vaccine effective and who can get vaccinated?

As of December 2023 (and more broadly from January 2024), a new vaccine against COVID-19 is already available. The vaccine is free of charge. People over 18 years of age can get it in a pharmacy or primary care center, children over 12 years of age can get vaccinated in a primary care center (it is not possible to vaccinate children in a pharmacy).

Here is a list of pharmacies providing COVID-19 vaccination services:

https://www.gdziepolek.pl/apteki/szczepiace-przeciwko-covid

It is the Nuvaxovid vaccine updated for the XBB.1.5 variant of the coronavirus, the so-called Kraken.

The vaccine is intended for everyone over 12 years of age. The referral was issued automatically and can be found in your IKP account, provided that more than 6 months have passed since the last vaccination against COVID-19.

The updated Nuvaxovid vaccine can also be given as part of the primary vaccination schedule. 2 doses of the vaccine are then administered, 3 weeks apart.

You can read more about how Nuvaxovid works here:

https://www.gdziepolek.pl/kategorie/szczepionki-na-covid-19-2#szczepionki-rekombinowane-bialkowe

The efficacy of the vaccine has been tested in adults and adolescents from 12 years of age. As many as 47,000 people took part in the tests. Some of them received Nuvaxovid and others received a placebo.

Studies have shown that the vaccine is about 90% effective against COVID-19 and significantly increases the number of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.

As for the side effects, they are similar to other vaccinations. The most common symptoms are pain and redness at the injection site, fatigue, nausea, fever, chills. Symptoms are temporary and usually disappear after 2-3 days.