COVID-19

MOH recommends booster dose interval shortened

June 2, 2022 4:57 pm

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services is recommending the COVID-19 booster dose interval for eligible people be reduced from three to two months after the second dose.

A MOH statement says the recommendation to reduce the interval period for people over 18 years was made in light of the risk of disease surge, based on waning two-dose vaccinations, slow booster uptake, increased international travel, and ongoing outbreaks around the world.

Fiji currently has 118 active cases and the ministry says this notable increase indicates an urgency to increase booster dose coverage.

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So far, only 30% of the population over the age of 18 have received the booster dose.

The ministry says COVID-19 vaccination diminishes over time and the effectiveness of protection against COVID-19, after the series of AstraZeneca vaccinations is lower than that of other vaccines, especially against the Omicron variant.

Currently, both Pfizer and Moderna are recommended for booster doses.

People over the age of 18 who have completed their primary series vaccinations, people over the age of 60, healthcare workers, port staff, and tourism employees, and anyone over the age of 18 who has taken their first booster dose after a four-month interval are all eligible for the COVID-19 booster.