South Africans get the go-ahead to receive Pfizer, and now J&J booster shots

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J&J vaccine

From today (December 24), the National Vaccination Programme will provide J&J booster vaccinations to anyone who received their last dose at least two months prior (October 24) or before, and from then on at at least two-months intervals.

The recommended interval is after two months but preferably before 6 months from the primary dose.

Pfizer vaccine

From December 28, the National Vaccination Programme will provide Pfizer booster vaccinations to anyone who received their last dose at least six months since the second primary dose.

Booster doses are the same vaccine in the same dose administered to people who have had a primary vaccination series and are administered to allow the body to boost its immunity to the Covid-19 virus.

SAHPRA approval

The regulator, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) approved the use of Pfizer vaccine as a booster of the primary Pfizer vaccine two-dose series some time ago.

SAHPRA has also approved the use of the Johnson and Johnson (J&J) vaccine for boosters of the single-dose primary J&J schedule at least two months after primary vaccination.