The Macau Health Bureau (SSM) has announced that it will adjust its COVID-19 booster vaccination recommendations, in reference to the latest recommendations made by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and health agencies in various countries and regions worldwide.
For instance, according to the announcement, the Health Bureau will recommend those aged between 18 and 59 without a high risk of being affected by COVID-19 receive a total of only three COVID-19 jabs.
The announcement also said that if those aged between 18 and 59 without a high risk of being affected by COVID-19 have already received three or four COVID-19 jabs but none of them is a BioNTech mRNA bivalent jab, they can receive a BioNTech mRNA bivalent shot.
The BioNTech mRNA bivalent vaccine provides antibody protection against the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, in addition to antibody protection against the original COVID-19 strain.
The traditional monovalent (aka univalent) vaccine, either BioNTech or Sinopharm, only contains components for the original COVID-19 strain.
The bureau made the announcement in a statement on Wednesday. The statement did not mention when exactly the new recommendations will take effect.
Both types of COVID-19 vaccines currently available in Macau, China’s Sinopharm inactivated vaccine and Germany’s BioNTech mRNA vaccine, are two-dose vaccines, i.e., requiring two jabs to develop basic full immunity.
Currently jabs for different age groups
Currently, the Health Bureau still advises those aged 18 or over to receive a total of four COVID-19 jabs, comprising the first two jabs that provide basic full immunity and two booster shots.
The Health Bureau currently advises those aged between 5 and 17 to receive three BioNTech mRNA jabs, comprising the first two jabs providing basic full immunity and a booster shot. Those in this age group whose parents choose the Sinopharm inactivated vaccine for them can receive the first two jabs that provide basic full immunity, and if the booster jab is wanted, they can only choose the BioNTech mRNA vaccine.
Currently, potential BioNTech mRNA vaccinees aged between six months and four years require three jabs, instead of two, to develop basic full immunity. Those in this age group are currently not covered by the Health Bureau’s COVID-19 booster vaccination programme.
Potential Sinopharm vaccinees aged between three and four years can also receive the first two jabs that provide basic full immunity. Currently, the Sinopharm vaccine is only administered to those aged three years or over.
Wednesday’s statement noted that most people in the world have been vaccinated against or infected with COVID-19. Omicron, the COVID-19 variant currently prevalent worldwide, is very contagious, but is less pathogenic to healthy people, particularly younger ones, the statement noted.
Consequently, the statement noted, the WHO, as well as health agencies in various countries and regions worldwide, have recently adjusted their respective COVID-19 booster vaccination recommendations.
After referencing the latest recommendations made by the WHO as well as health agencies in various countries and regions worldwide, the statement said, the Macau Health Bureau has decided to also adjust its recommendations on the administration of COVID-19 booster jabs in compliance with different age groups and states of health, after also taking into account Macau’s COVID-19 epidemiological characteristics
New recommendations
According to the statement, the Health Bureau will recommend those aged between 18 and 59 without a high risk of being affected by a COVID-19 infection to receive only three COVID-19 jabs, comprising the first two jabs that provide basic full immunity and one booster shot. The statement said that if those in this group have already received three or four COVID-19 jabs but none of them is a BioNTech mRNA bivalent jab, they will be allowed to receive a BioNTech bivalent shot.
According to the statement, the Health Bureau will recommend those aged between 6 months and 17 years without a high risk of being affected by a COVID-19 infection to receive a total of three COVID-19 jabs. The statement underlined that those in this group will not be allowed to receive more than three COVID-19 jabs in total.
According to the statement, the Health Bureau will recommend all those aged 60 or over, as well as those aged between 12 and 59 with a high risk of being affected by a COVID-19 infection, to receive a total of four COVID-19 jabs. The statement said that if those in the two groups have already received four COVID-19 jabs but none of them is a BioNTech mRNA bivalent jab, they will be allowed to receive a BioNTech bivalent shot.
Nevertheless, according to the statement, the Health Bureau will have stronger booster vaccination recommendations for pregnant women.
The statement said that during pregnancy, all those who received their last COVID-19 jab at least six months ago, regardless of the type of the shot, “should” receive a BioNTech bivalent jab.
Wednesday’s statement said that the Health Bureau will later announce details about making appointments to receive a BioNTech bivalent jab.
This undated handout photo taken from the Health Bureau’s (SSM) website yesterday shows the Praia do Manduco Health Centre in Ha Van district.
