Pretoria – The Department of Health says extra Covid-19 booster doses were accessible for those who were most at risk of catching the virus.
The department's spokesperson, Foster Mohale, said that despite low hospitalisation and mortality rates, the pandemic continued to threaten the lives of vulnerable people.
“Vaccination still provide the best protection against severe disease as well as long Covid, and the department therefore continues to encourage everyone to protect themselves through vaccination.”
Mohale said that elderly people living with comorbidities were advised to take the additional booster Covid-19 vaccine.
"At the current moment, adults aged 18-49 are eligible to receive a total of three doses while those older than 50 are eligible to receive a total of four doses. However, consideration has been made to offer additional booster doses to both age groups.
“This would mean that adults aged 18 – 49 years would be eligible to receive a total of four doses, while those 50 years and older would be eligible to receive five doses,” he added.
He said there is little experience of ideal booster intervals and there is a high level of immunity in the community.
“At this stage the intention is to provide another booster at an interval between the previous and the additional booster dose of a minimum of 180 days (six months).
“This next booster will be a voluntary dose and not part of a wide community campaign,” he said.
IOL