Health authorities complete COVID vaccine booster rollout for elderly home residents

Preparations underway for elderly home residents to receive the Influenza vaccine

All elderly home residents have received a vaccine booster shot against COVID-19 (File Photo)
All elderly home residents have received a vaccine booster shot against COVID-19 (File Photo)

Health authorities have completed the rollout of COVID-19 booster vaccines for elderly home residents.

The vaccine booster shots were brought forward by a week in the wake of an increase in cases in early September.

Booster vaccines are also being administered to immuno-compromised patients such as those receiving cancer treatment. A third tranche of booster vaccines will start being administered on 27 September to elderly people aged 70 and over who live in the community.

Health Minister Chris Fearne had said the booster shots will be either Pfizer or Moderna, even for those who originally took the AstraZeneca.

As regards those who took the Johnsson vaccine, studies are still being done to determine whether it would be best to give these people a second Johnsson vaccine jab before proceeding to a booster.

The Ministry for the Elderly said that preparations are now underway for elderly home residents to start receiving the influenza vaccine when this becomes available next month.

 Two COVID-19 related deaths and 25 new cases were registered on Thursday.