The Vaccine Advisory Committee approved a third dose from vaccine against covid-19 for the population between 18 and 49 years of age progressively according to the stages established in the National Vaccination Plan.
According to the Health portfolio, this booster dose will be applied six months after completing the two-dose immunization schedule.
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As of this Wednesday, November 24, those who meet the requirement will be able to go to the vaccination posts.
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Each citizen who completed their outline of vaccination against covid-19 with two-dose or single-dose vaccines, you will be able to approach an IPS and receive the dose.
“The application will be made six months after the second dose or single dose for each citizen of the country, and will be progressively as the different stages of the National Vaccination Plan have been completed.”, Indicated the Minister of Health, Fernando Ruiz Gómez.
The Vaccine Advisory Committee recommended for this third dose the use of heterologous platforms, that is, different vaccines to those administered in the initial scheme, according to Minister Ruiz Gómez said.
Thus, those who received Pfizer or Moderna, the Ministry recommends that they receive a third dose with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
In this sense, those who received AstraZeneca, should receive the booster dose of Pfizer or Moderna.
People whose first dose was the Janssen biologic will need to complete the schedule with the Pfizer, Moderna or AstraZeneca vaccine, just like those who received the first two doses of Sinovac.
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According to the available scientific evidence, the application of a third dose has been shown to increase the immune response and the effectiveness of vaccines against covid-19 in adults, including protection against serious forms, but also against contagion and transmission.
Adding all adults 18 and over to the booster allocation contributes to the herd immunity, considering the appearance of more contagious variants, and some of them, with the potential to evade the immune response, as explained by the health authority.
Despite the low impact, “it does not eliminate the risk of having a new peak,” said the minister, who added that there is still a population that has not been vaccinated with initial schedules, for which he made a call to go to the points of vaccination.
The Ministry of Health was emphatic in saying that for people over 50 years of age, the third dose vaccination should be given four months after completing their scheme against covid-19.
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To date, there are 67.1% of the Colombian population with one dose, but “it is necessary to get as close as possible to 90% of the vaccinated population to substantially reduce the risks,” concluded the head of the Health portfolio.
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