Date for the second does of the AstraZeneca vaccine extended

The Vaccination Medical Committee of the Ministry of Health and Wellness has advised that the efficacy or effectiveness of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 is greater if it is administered 10 to 12 weeks after the first dose.

As a result of this, the time period has now been extended to 10 weeks for those frontline workers and vulnerable persons who were given a four-week date for the second dose.

Persons will be contacted and informed of the new dates and locations for them to receive their second doses. It is important for individuals to have their second dose to ensure the full effectiveness of the vaccine. The administration of the second shot will start to roll out from Saturday, April 17, 2021. (BGIS)