Covid-19 | Booster jabs extended to more groups

From yesterday, local health authorities extended the eligibility criteria for the third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to more groups of people, the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre announced.
As of yesterday, all people aged 18 years or above who have had two doses of the Sinopharm inactivated virus vaccine administered at least six months ago are now eligible to receive the booster jab.
Those who have received two doses of the BioNTech mRNA vaccine at least six months ago, may also be eligible for a third dose if they are aged 60 years or above, aged 18 to 59 years old with a compromised immune system, or are susceptible to greater exposure risk, the authorities also noted.
According to the centre, it is recommended that, for the third dose, people continue to choose to be vaccinated with the same type of vaccine which they initially received, although it is also noted that “they can also choose among other vaccines according to their personal preference.”
The health authorities clarified those considered as having a “weaker immune system,” are people who have had any form of cancer, cerebrovascular diseases (e.g. a stroke), obesity, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes (type 1 and type 2), heart disease (e.g. heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathy) or chronic kidney diseases, as well as current or former smokers.
Those “susceptible to greater exposure risk” include people working at medical or social services facilities, educational and correctional institutions, or medical observation (quarantine) venues.
Also included in this last group are people who have frequent contact with patients, the elderly, or people with disabilities, as well as those who have, for work-related reasons, frequent contact with persons from overseas or a large number of members of the public.
Those living in collective residential units and border checkpoints or logistics personnel are also considered people with a higher exposure risk.
The advice to get a third dose of the vaccine is also extended to those planning to travel to places with a high incidence of Covid-19.

Immunocompromised should not wait
In the same statement, health authorities recommend that those with a moderately or severely immunocompromised system, such as individuals receiving active oncological treatments including chemotherapy or radiotherapy for cancers, have received an organ transplant and are taking immunosuppressants, or are in an advanced stage of untreated HIV infection, should not wait for six months before getting the third dose. Instead, these individuals are encouraged to have a third jab as part of regular plan; 28 days after their second dose of vaccine.
Other situations should be handled with assistance from a physician.