Second booster dose available for vulnerable groups in Jamaica

Jamaica: The country is now offering a second booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccines to healthcare workers, persons over 60 years old and members of the public with immuno compromising conditions. The decision follows recent confirmation of the globally dominant and highly transmissible Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants in Jamaica.

An additional booster dose will offer protection from infection and severe outcomes associated with COVID-19, particularly to members of the highest risk group.

Second doses are to be administered as follows:

1. Persons who have taken AstraZeneca are to receive the Pfizer vaccine as the second booster dose four months following their first booster.

2. Persons who have taken a Pfizer vaccine are to receive Pfizer as the second booster dose four months following their first booster.

3. Persons who have taken the Johnson and Johnson vaccine are to take the Pfizer vaccine as the second booster at least four months after the first booster dose.

4. Persons who took the Sinopharm vaccine are to receive a second booster dose of the vaccine four months after the first booster.

To receive the booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccines, members of the public are invited to visit any of the Ministry’s access points for vaccination; persons should take their vaccination card and a government – issued identification or letter from a justice of the Peace.

Members of the public are being urged to continue their practice of infection prevention and control measures, that is washing or sanitizing hands, avoiding crowds wearing a face mask and keeping a physical distance of six feet apart from others.

As a Tuesday, August 17,39,330 persons have received a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccines. A total of 710, 718 have taken a first dose and 609,015 a second dose.