Health ministry issues latest guidance on COVID-19 vaccination

The rollout of fourth doses should also be expedited for those aged 18 and above who require it.

Authorities should also make plans for the administration of third doses for children aged 12 -17 years old.

Additional dose

The guidance clearly states that an additional dose (not the third dose) is given to those aged 18 or older, including people with moderate and severe immunodeficiency, such as people undergoing cancer treatment.

These groups include organ transplant recipients who are taking immunosuppressive drugs; people receiving T-cell antibody receptor therapy (a type of treatment that helps the immune system attack and destroy cancer cells) or have a stem cell transplant (within the past two years); people with moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency; people with advanced or untreated HIV; people who are on active treatment with corticosteroids or high-dose immunosuppressive drugs; people who have received the full basic dose of Sinopharm vaccine (Vero cell) or Sputnik V vaccine.

The guidance says that one additional injection should be administered within 28 days to three months after the initial first two doses.

People who have been infected with COVID-19 should be vaccinated immediately after recovering and completing medical isolation as required.

Third dose

People who are applicable for the third dose of COVID-19 vaccination are those 18 years old and older who have received the full basic shots (one, two or three depending on the type of vaccine and the additional dose if available).

The guidance states this dose should be at least three months after the last dose of the basic coverage.

Fourth dose (second booster dose)

The target group of the fourth dose are people aged 50 and over; people aged 18 years and over with moderate to severe immunodeficiency; people aged 18 years and older who are in high-risk groups for exposure to COVID-19 such as health workers, frontline officials (police forces, army, teachers, people working in the transportation sector, etc.) people providing essential services, people working at tourist service establishments, trade centres, supermarkets, markets), workers, and people working in industrial parks.

The type of vaccine to be injected is the mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna vaccine); AstraZeneca; or the same type of vaccine as the third dose (first booster shot).

This shot should be taken at least four months after the third dose.

Booster dose (third dose) for children 12-17 years old

Children from 12 years old to 17 years old who have received full basic doses are applicable for a booster. The latest guidance has indicated Pfizer shots for children of 5-12 and Moderna shots for those of 6-12.