The Ministry of Health and Social Services has approved the administering of a third booster shot of Sinopharm for those 60 years and older.
Ben Nangombe, the Health ministry Executive Director, said the decision was guided by recommendation from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
“The risk of COVID-19 increases with age and among people with comorbidities and those that are immuno-compromised. Waning of immunity has also been documented. The World Health Organization has therefore recommended an additional (third) dose among persons 60 years and older, people with comorbidities and the immunocompromised,” Nangombe said.
The latest announcement comes as China has pledged 200 000 additional doses of the Sinopharm vaccine to Namibia.
While many nations are already recommending booster shots amid the threat from new variants of COVID-19, WHO has been cold on the idea of extra jabs, citing the desperate need for first doses in many low-income nations calling for a moratorium on booster shots till the end of the year.
On Tuesday Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged a further one billion COVID-19 vaccines to help Africa achieve the goal of getting 60% of the continent’s population vaccinated.
