All South African adults aged 50 years and above have been encouraged to have Covid-19 booster shots up to five times, while those aged between 18 and 49 years will be entitled to receive another jab to make it four doses in the fight against Omicron variants, the health ministry has announced.The ministry said all adults aged 18 and older, who are registered in the country’s Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) as being immuno-compromised, are eligible to receive an additional booster shot 180 days after their last one. 

These booster shots have lately been on demand from fully vaccinated adults and vulnerable groups, and “are meant to maintain and enhance the protection against current and evolving Covid-19 Omicron variants,” the ministry said in a statement on Monday.

The waiting period between the last dose and the additional dose should be at least 180 days or six months, the ministry advised.

The vaccination schedule for adolescents between 12 and 17 years remained unchanged, which meant that this age group remained eligible to receive two doses only. 

The EVDS has been updated to accommodate these changes, and the vaccinators have been informed accordingly, the ministry added.

“The health ministry has now integrated Covid-19 vaccination services into primary health services, and efforts are being made – working with provinces – to update the lists of vaccination sites on an ongoing basis, and make these accessible to the public,” the statement said.

The ministry’s belief was that “vaccination remains the most effective weapon against the pandemic, especially as new Omicron variants and sub-variants are detected in various parts of the world.”