Covid vaccine: booster dose for over 60 years – Health

Through a video on his Twitter account, President Iván Duque, in the company of the Minister of Health, Fernando Ruiz, announced the opening of the application of booster dose for population between 60 and 69 years old.

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“In this way we will protect the population group most at risk from the covid-19 “, said the head of state.

The booster dose was only authorized for the population over 70 years of age. However, as of this Saturday, November 6, people between 60 and 69 will be able to access it.

This will be the process

The Ministry of Health confirmed that, as has been done with those over 70, people between 60 and 69 years old should wait six months after completing their initial vaccination schedule (the two-dose one).

Then, they can be scheduled by their respective EPS.

These people, who mostly received first and second doses of Pfizer or Sinovac – the vaccines available at that stage – will now be immunized with a booster dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which, according to the health authority, generates a potential best answer as a complement.

“Apply additional dose, combining biologics against covid-19, generates a very good response, high levels of antibodies and, consequently, greater effectiveness, “explained Leonardo Arregocés, Director of Medicines at the Ministry of Health.

In the video he shared this Friday, President Duque said that more than four million people They are in the 60 to 69 age group.

“With this, we advance in an accelerated way in our Vaccination Plan and give a reinforcement to the population that may be more exposed to the lethal effects of the pandemic. The decision has been made after a dialogue with the Epidemiology Committee, advisor to the Ministry of Health, and also with the vaccine committee, “he added.

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With cut to November 3, 296,638 booster doses have been applied in the country, according to figures from the Ministry of Health.