J&J booster vaccinations available from December 24

The department of health will start administering Johnson & Johnson (J&J) booster doses of Covid-19 vaccines on Friday and Pfizer boosters a week later.

The announcement comes after the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) approved the use of the Pfizer vaccine as a booster for the primary Pfizer two-dose series. The approval is for vaccination of people six months after the administration of the second dose, or in the case of immunocompromised people who received an additional primary dose, after that third dose.

Sahpra has also approved the use of the Johnson and Johnson (J&J) vaccine for boosters of the single-dose primary J&J schedule at least two months after primary vaccination.

From Friday, the national vaccination programme will provide J&J booster vaccinations to anyone who received their last dose at least two months earlier (October 24 or before) and from then on with at least two months’ interval.

The recommended interval is two months but preferably not later than six months from the primary dose, the department said.

From December 28, Pfizer booster vaccinations will be provided to anyone who received their second dose at least six months earlier.

Booster doses are the same vaccine in the same dose administered to people who have had a primary vaccination series and are administered to allow the body to boost its immunity against the coronavirus, the department said.

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