The Ministry of Health and Wellness says that it has begun administering booster shots of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines in Jamaica. 

The ministry, in a statement on Sunday (November 7), explained that the additional vaccine dose distribution will take immediate effect is will be targeted for immunocompromised Jamaicans, per guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO).

“Following the publication of an interim guidance on vaccination for immunocompromised individuals by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Ministry of Health & Wellness has advised that it will effective immediately implement the recommendation and administer an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccines to Jamaicans, who are classified as immunocompromised according to WHO’s guidance,” the ministry indicated.

“The WHO has defined immunocompromised individuals as persons with immunocompromising conditions and those receiving immunosuppressive treatment. These include persons with active cancer, transplant recipients, immunodeficiency, HIV and immunosuppressives,” the ministry added.

For her part, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Jacquiline Bisasor McKenzie advised that vaccine-eligible persons who fall within the immunocompromised category must receive a letter from their doctor before making their way to a vaccination site. 

“The recommendation applies to persons who are moderately to severely immunocompromised and are in the vaccine-eligible age group. These persons are required to obtain a letter from their doctor, stating their eligibility and take to the vaccination site. Doctors who treat several of these patients should contact their parish health department to get access to the vaccines to administer to their patients,” she said.

As it relates to the timeframe between doses, the WHO recommends that the additional dose should be given at least a month after the second dose of the AstraZeneca and Pfizer and after the single dose, Johnson & Johnson or within three months. 

Persons who are outside of this time period should get the additional dose as soon as possible.

“An additional vaccination card should be issued detailing the additional dose and be attached to the existing card, if the patient was previously fully vaccinated or in the case where there is space on the existing card, the information should inputted there,” the CMO added. 

In the last 24 hours, an update on the status of vaccination in the country has tracked 994,691 administered COVID-19 jabs in Jamaica. Of that number, 552,434 or first doses of the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines; 387,327 are second-doses and another 54,930 listed as a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson jab.