Covid Vaccine
UNSPLASH

The South African health department announced yesterday that they will offer additional Covid-19 vaccine booster doses to people who are at high risk for developing severe complications associated with the disease.

Although hospitalization and mortality rates from the pandemic have been low, the department's spokesperson, Foster Mohale, said it continues to threaten the lives of vulnerable people.

Therefore, the department of health is urging everyone to get vaccinated and protect themselves from severe diseases and long Covid.

Mohale further said that elderly people with comorbidities and the immunocompromised are especially advised to get the additional booster Covid-19 vaccine to ensure maximum protection, All Africa Reported.

"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 group. 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.

Mohale explained that ideally, booster intervals should be spaced out by a minimum of 180 days (six months), but due to the lack of experience and the high level of immunity in the community, the next booster dose will be voluntary instead of part of a wide community campaign.

Additionally, children aged five to 11 years who are at risk of severe COVID disease will be offered the Comirnaty (Pfizer) vaccine early next year. The vaccine will be given in two doses, 21 days apart.

The vaccines will be available to children with certain chronic health conditions, including respiratory, heart, neurological, kidney, liver, and gastrointestinal conditions, certain endocrine disorders, serious genetic abnormalities, and other conditions associated with immunosuppression.

However, children will only be able to receive a dose if they have been referred by a clinician and if their parents or guardians give their consent.

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South Africa has recorded more than four million Covid-19 cases so far. However, the country has also administered more than 38 million vaccine doses according to the health department's Covid-19 dashboard.