Covid19: Vaccination Booster Shots a Possibility in the Future, Says Health Minister Joe Phaahla
- Minister of Health Joe Phaahla says coronavirus vaccine booster shots could be a possibility in South Africa
- Phaahla says the current main focus for the vaccination programme is to ensure that all citizens are vaccinated first
- The World Health Organization also wants countries who have limited access to vaccines to be given the opportunity to get more vaccines first
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JOHANNESBURG -To boost the efficiency of coronavirus vaccines and ensure that more protection against the virus, Minister of Health Joe Phaahla says that booster shots are a possibility in the foreseeable future.
Speaking at a briefing at the National Council of Province’s Ministerial session, Phaahla stated that research indicated that booster shots might actually be needed, according to BusinessTech.
Source: Getty Images
“As to whether there will be boosters, the information at the moment does suggest that further down the line we might require boosters," stated Phaahla.
However, Phaahla stated that for South Africa, booster shots are not the priority and that efforts are much rather focused on getting the population vaccinated. The World Health Organization is also in support of countries getting access to Covid-19 vaccines before putting booster shots at the top of the priority list.
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To ensure equal access to Covid-19 vaccinations around the world, the WHO has asked for a temporary embargo on booster doses, according to a report by IOL.
Head of the School of Public Health and Family Medicine at the University of Cape Town Professor Landon Myer says while booster shots are a possibility, data is still be collected to determine the safety of getting them administered. Myer explains that it is quite likely that booster shots are not safe.
“Boosting is very unlikely to be unsafe, but how and when to best administer booster vaccinations is still being determined," says Myer.
C.1.2: New Covid19 variant will not impact vaccine efficacy, say experts
Briefly News previously reported that the C.1.2 Covid-19 variant is reportedly unlikely to stop current Covid-19 vaccines from preventing severe infections or death. The news comes from scientists working at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).
The NICD reportedly held a media briefing on Thursday evening to ensure members of the public that they are keeping a close eye on the C.1.2 variant.
The NICD, according to TimesLIVE, revealed that there was cause to believe that the new variant will derange the efficacy of both the Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer vaccines. These are the two Covid-19 vaccines that are being administered in South Africa.
Professor Penny Moore from the NICD stated that the public's curiosity about the new variant and the vaccines was understandable. She added that there was hardly any reason for worry at this time.
Source: Briefly News
