The Ministry of Health has issued new vaccination guidelines which will allow booster shots for those vaccinated with AstraZeneca and Pfizer, and also the mixing of vaccines in warranted circumstances.
“Research has been conducted on the safety and effectiveness of mix and matching of COVID-19 vaccines. Findings have shown that persons who receive two different COVID-19 vaccines generate potent immune responses. Where side effects are reported, they are not worse than those caused by standard regimens,” Ministry of Health Executive Director, Ben Nagombe said.
“Scientific evidence suggests that COVID-19 vaccine-induced immunity wanes with time; thus, additional doses are advised to boost the required level of protection against COVID-19 disease severity.”
He said the Sinopharm, AstraZeneca and Pfizer BioTech vaccines will be made available for booster shoot administration.
“However, if the same product is not available, or in case of an allergic reaction to one vaccine, another COVID-19 vaccine (heterologous vaccines) can be used,” he said.
“The 3rd booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is advisable and may be administered voluntarily for moderately or severely immunocompromised persons. This included persons with malignancies of solid organ or stem-cell transplants, primary immunodeficiency , HIV?AIDS not controlled with antiretroviral therapy and persons receiving immunosuppressive therapy.”
The Ministry of Wednesday also announced that it had recorded 710 new COVID-19 cases.
