All we need to know about third vaccine booster shot to be rolled out in Bahrain
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
The fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) is still far from over so the Kingdom of Bahrain is intensifying mass vaccination efforts to ensure the safety of all.
Currently, six vaccines are authorised for emergency use in Bahrain, namely Sinopharm, Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca’s Covishield, Johnson & Johnson, Sputnik V and Sputnik Light. Bahrain aims to vaccinate a total of 1.5 million residents, around 679,000 of them are expatriates and 712,000 Bahrainis.
It aims at vaccinating 5,000 people per day, to be maximised to 10,000. Currently, around 70 per cent of the eligible population have received at least one dose of a vaccine, according to National Taskforce for Combating Coronavirus member and infectious diseases expert Manaf Al Qahtani.
The task force has announced that the next phase will be administering a third booster dose within 12 months to those fully vaccinated or who have completed their two doses to stay protected against the original coronavirus strain and newly emerging variants. Bahrain is following in the footsteps of other vaccination programmes.
The UAE, Israel, UK and US are all preparing booster vaccination programmes or have already started giving third shots to some members of the population.
The Health Ministry is now calling on citizens and residents to register for and take the booster shots. A new vaccination schedule is being prepared, based on age groups and vulnerability to the virus.
For groups most at risk from the virus, Bahraini health authorities will administer the third dose six months after the second.
Groups in the at-risk category include over 60s, people who are obese and those with immunodeficiency conditions. Frontline medical personnel will also be prioritised for a booster shot. The rest of the population will be eligible for a booster dose within 12 months of their second shot.
About the vaccine booster
We know that viruses mutate constantly so inevitably, everyone’s going to need a booster. Here’s what you need to know about COVID-19 vaccine boosters.
Researchers and health officials suspect that the immunity against COVID-19 vaccines elicits in the body might wane over long periods of time – say, possibly, after a year or more – and might not protect as well against coronavirus variants that could emerge and evolve.
Therefore, a vaccinated person would need a booster dose of vaccine to stay protected against the original coronavirus strain and newly emerging variants – somewhat similar to how a tetanus booster is recommended every 10 years or different flu vaccines are recommended each year.
In the case of COVID-19 vaccines, it remains unknown for how long immune protection lasts, but vaccine developers and health officials know it may not be forever – and that emerging variant could escape immunity. It is for this reason that scientists at a number of companies that make COVID-19 vaccines have recommended the need for boosters within a year.
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