Vaccine booster shots. The US, UK and large parts of Europe are rolling them out. Our own healthcare workers who received Johnson & Johnson vaccines, are getting them too. South Africa currently has over 16 million vaccines in the country. With Demand having dried up significantly, the government is set to offer more jabs to fully vaccinated immunocompromised adults.

A memo from the Department of Health first reported by Bhekisisa’s Mia Malan, reveals the criteria for additional vaccines.

The Department of Health makes sure not to call them booster shots.

Adults with these conditions or receiving these treatments will be allowed to get another vaccine dose. As long as it is 28 days after their last vaccine. They will get either a 2nd J&J or 3rd Pfizer vaccine, depending on what they originally received.

1. Haematological or immune malignancy
2. Moderate to severe primary immunodeficiency disorder
3. HIV infection with CD4 count < 200 cells/uL within the last 6 months.
4. Asplenia
5. Receiving high dose steroids for autoimune conditions
6. Long term renal dialysis
7. Transplant recipients (solid organ or bone marrow)

You’ll still need to have your doctor fill out a form. Once that’s done you can take it to any vaccine site.

4. What does your doc or nurse need to do?
1. They need to fill out this form
2. They must keep a copy of the form
3. You need to take the filled out form with you to a vaccination site pic.twitter.com/Q9uU063OTb

— Mia Malan (@miamalan) November 27, 2021

If you don’t have any of the above conditions, you’ll have to wait a little longer to qualify for a “booster”.

BOOSTER SHOTS FOR ALL?

Our country is about to head into a 4th wave. And now we have the Omicron variant to deal with too.
With less than 150 000 vaccines being administered per day and so many millions in stockpile, it looks like it’s a question of when not if.

Also Read – Two cases of new Omicron variant found in UK

For now, the government says it’s focussing on getting as many 50 + year olds vaccinated before the end of the year. Plans could quickly change though thanks to the new Omicron variant.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is meeting the National Coronavirsu Command Council this weekend to discuss the country’s COVID situation.