KUCHING, Oct 13: The Sarawak Health Department will begin administering Covid-19 booster shots or the third dose throughout the state from today onwards.
The COVID-19 booster shots are now available at selected government health clinics, private hospitals and private health clinics.
The department’s Deputy Director for Public Health, Dr Rosemawati Ariffin in a statement said the booster shot would provide additional protection to the vulnerable such as those with low immune system.
“This group is among those with problems with the immune system of which two doses alone is not enough to give them protection or stimulate the immune system to fight COVID-19 infection,” according to her.
“The third dose of COVID-19 vaccine is defined as the administration of the vaccine dose additionally when a person’s immune response at an early stage.
“It is unlikely adequate following the initial administration of the vaccine in succession (primary vaccine series),” said Dr Rosemawati.
Dr Rosemawati said the COVID-19 vaccine booster dose is the vaccine administration dose for someone who initially has an adequate immune response to vaccination in a series (primary vaccine series) but may be decreasing over time.
Here’s what you need to know of the policy given by the Health Ministry on the Covid-19 booster shot;
• Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has been approved as a booster dose.
• To date, approval has been given for vaccines that have similar functions with vaccines that have been given successively at an early stage (homologous vaccination).
• Interval from the last dose of COVID-19 vaccine to the third dose is at least 28 days after receipt of the second dose and for the booster dose is at least 6 months after the second dose.
• Those who are given priority for the administration of the third dose and The COVID-19 vaccine booster shots are:
- Third Dose: Immunocompromised or systemic groupweakened immune (body resistance) due to disease or treatment medicine estimated at 11,900 people; and
ii. Booster Dosage: Senior Citizens ie those over 60 years of age a year of 80,300 people and Medical Frontline Officers a total of 30,340 people
