Second COVID-19 boosters will be available in June – Health Minister

The Ministry of Health will begin the administration of a second COVID-19 booster shot to persons 18 years and older, which will ensure persons are better protected, as immunity gained from vaccines decreases six months after getting the jab.

The booster roll-out is set to begin on June 1, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony revealed during Monday’s COVID-19 update.

“One of the things that the ministry would be doing is to offer a second booster dose, so for persons who would like to get their second booster dose they would be able to get that at any one of our vaccination sites.”

Minister Anthony said, despite the many appeals to citizens to get vaccinated, there is still a lot of vaccine hesitancy across the country.

He explained that with vaccination, persons are more protected from the severe form of the infection, as well as preventing deaths.

“Now since we have been vaccinating people, one of the things that we have noticed is after about six months the immunity that you would have developed from the vaccine would start dropping, and therefore there is an absolute need for you to get a booster dose,” Dr. Anthony said.

Since the roll-out of the first booster in November, 2021, 65,145 doses have been administered. Dr. Anthony said adequate vaccines are available for boosters.

Additionally, all COVID-19 vaccination sites across the country will offer the second booster jab to the adult population.

Minister Anthony is encouraging persons to visit any one of the sites to receive their jabs.

The vaccines currently being administered are Sinopharm, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson.

As of today, 441, 994 or 86.2 percent of the adult population took the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine while 341, 574 or 66.6 percent is fully vaccinated.