COVID UPDATE BY CHARNDRÉ EMMA KIPPIE
Third shot’s a charm The South African Government is looking to rollout Covid-19 Booster Shots A DECLINE IN IMMUNITY PROTECTION It looks like Health workers in South Africa who have been vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine (as per the Sisonke study) are likely to be eligible for another dose. It is said that this may come into action as soon as the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has signed off on the trial’s adjusted protocol. The Sisonke study kicked off in February and came to an end in May 2021. 496900 healthcare workers were immunised using the Johnson & Johnson Covid vaccination. The study aimed to protect South Africa’s frontline workers, first and foremost.Initially, it was thought that one Johnson & Johnson jab, and two Pfizer jabs, would be just for decreasing Covid-19 infections and death rates. However, news of the findings from two studies, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, have recently confirmed a decline in immunity protection levels from the two-dose Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine. The study indicated that 6 months after taking the BNT162b2 vaccine (Pfizer), antibody-mediated immunity decreased substantially, especially in those who are 65 years of age or older, and those who experience immunosuppression. DO WE NEED BOOSTER SHOTS? In mid-October Dr Joe Phaahla, who is the South African Health Minister, made an announcement that the Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) on Covid-19 Vaccines had strongly suggested that citizens who
46 | Public Sector Leaders | November 2021
