Immunocompromised Jamaicans to get additional dose of COVID vaccines
Published:Saturday | November 6, 2021 | 4:22 PM
The Ministry of Health & Wellness is reporting that it will effective immediately begin a programme to administer an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccines to immunocompromised Jamaicans.
The Ministry says this follows the publication of interim guidance on vaccination for immunocompromised individuals by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The WHO has defined immunocompromised individuals as persons with immunocompromising conditions and those receiving immunosuppressive treatment.
These include persons with active cancer, transplant recipients, immunodeficiency, HIV and immunosuppressives.
More details are published on the Ministry's website.
“The recommendation applies to persons who are moderately to severely immunocompromised and are in the vaccine-eligible age group. These persons are required to obtain a letter from their doctor stating their eligibility and take to the vaccination site,” said chief medical officer, Dr Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie, in a statement this afternoon.
“Doctors who treat several of these patients should contact their parish health department to get access to the vaccines to administer to their patients,” she added.
As it relates to timeframe between doses, the health ministry noted that the WHO recommends that the additional dose should be given at least a month after the second dose of the AstraZeneca and Pfizer and after the single dose, Johnson & Johnson or within three months.
It says persons who are outside of this time period should get the additional dose as soon as possible.
“An additional vaccination card should be issued detailing the additional dose and be attached to the existing card, if the patient was previously fully vaccinated or in the case where there is space on the existing card, the information should be inputted there,” Bisasor-McKenzie said.
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