Booster website opens to all on Friday

All adults who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 for at least 5.5 months may book their appointment for a booster shot on the government’s vaccine website from Friday, a Health Ministry official announced on Monday.

While bookings can be made in advance, the third dose for the Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Moderna vaccines may only be administered six months after the second dose, Marios Themistokleous, secretary general for primary health care explained.

People vaccinated with the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine can take a booster shot two months after their first vaccine and one month later if they are immunocompromised.

Themistokleous said 2.1 million people are now eligible for the booster shot. Of these, 660,000 have already availed of the booster shot and more than 400,000 appointments have been scheduled.

He said that a Pfizer mRNA vaccine or half dose of the Moderna vaccine will be offered as a booster for those originally vaccinated with Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Moderna.

For citizens vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the booster dose is either the Johnson & Johnson or Pfizer vaccine or a half dose of the Moderna vaccine.