As the Omicron coronavirus variant drives daily infections towards record highs, South Africa moves to administer booster doses of the Pfizer (PFE.N) and Johnson & Johnson (J&J) (JNJ.N) COVID-19 vaccines.
The South Africa health department’s deputy director-general, Nicholas Crisp, told a news conference that Pfizer boosters will be available to people six months after they receive their second dose, with the first people becoming eligible late this month.
According to him, J&J boosters, already available to health workers in a research study, will be rolled out to the general population soon.
South Africa reported more than 22,000 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, a record during the fourth wave of infections driven by the Omicron variant but still below a peak of more than 26,000 daily cases during the third wave driven by the Delta variant.
Addressing the same news conference, Health Minister Joe Phaahla said there were positive signs from early hospital data showing that Omicron appears to be causing mainly mild infections.
President of the South African Medical Research Council, Glenda Gray, said there were far more unvaccinated people among current hospital admissions.
On the Pfizer vaccine, she said: “We are seeing this vaccine is maintaining effectiveness. It may be slightly reduced, but we are seeing effectiveness being maintained for hospital admissions and that is very encouraging.”