Macau’s COVID-19 booster vaccination programme has been extended to all eligible groups of people, the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre announced in a statement yesterday.
According to the statement, all eligible vaccinees could start to make an appointment yesterday for a booster jab.
Generally speaking, following the extension of the booster jab programme to all eligible groups of people, for the time being only those aged between 18 and 59 who have been fully inoculated with the BioNTech vaccine but are not subject to a higher COVID-19 risk are not covered by Macau’s COVID-19 booster vaccination drive.
Macau started administering COVID-19 vaccine booster jabs on Tuesday last week to those who were fully inoculated against the novel coronavirus at least six months ago.
In Macau, those who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 refer to those who have received the last required shot of a novel coronavirus vaccine at least 14 days prior.
The booster vaccination drive is carried out in two phases. During the first phase – i.e., initially after the programme started on Tuesday last week, the booster shots were only given to three major groups of people, namely 1) those working in occupations that are potentially subject to a higher COVID-19 risk; 2) those with a weak immune system such as heart disease and diabetes patients; and 3) immunocompromised individuals, such as cancer patients who are receiving radiotherapy, those who have had an organ transplant, and those with HIV/AIDS. Yesterday’s announcement means that the second phase of the booster jab programme has now commenced, covering all eligible vaccinees.
Both types of COVID-19 vaccines currently available in Macau, China’s Sinopharm inactivated vaccine and Germany’s BioNTech mRNA vaccine, require two jabs for people to develop immunity – i.e., both are two-dose vaccines.
According to yesterday’s statement, Macau’s COVID-19 booster jab programme now covers all those aged 18 or over who were fully inoculated with the Sinopharm vaccine at least six months ago, and those in certain groups who were fully inoculated with the BioNTech vaccine at least six months ago.
Currently, both Sinopharm and BioNTech shots are administered to those aged 12 or over in Macau – i.e., the first and second jab for basic full immunity.
Those fully inoculated with the BioNTech vaccine who are now covered by the booster jab programme, according to yesterday’s statement, comprise three groups, namely 1) all those aged 60 or over; 2) those aged between 18 and 59 with a weak immune system; and 3) those aged between 18 and 59 who are potentially subject to a higher COVID-19 risk, or are more likely to suffer a serious condition after infection.
Yesterday’s statement pointed out that those with a weak immune system comprise eight groups, namely 1) cancer patients; 2) cerebrovascular disease patients, such as those who have suffered a stroke; 3) those with obesity; 4) those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); 5) diabetes patients; 6) heart disease patients, such as those with coronary artery disease, and those with cardiomyopathy – i.e., different kinds of diseases that affect the heart muscle; 7) those with chronic kidney disease; and 8) current and former smokers.
According to yesterday’s statement, those who are potentially subject to a higher COVID-19 risk, or are more likely to suffer a serious condition after infection, comprise eight groups, namely 1) those working at medical institutions, social service facilities, educational institutions, correctional institutions, or COVID-19 medical observation quarantine hotels and other quarantine facilities; 2) those in frequent contact with patients, senior citizens, or people with disabilities; 3) those in frequent contact with people entering Macau from elsewhere or a large number of members of the public; 4) those living in collective residential venues, such as retirement homes, care homes for those with disabilities, or nursing homes; 5) those working at border checkpoints, those engaged in COVID-19 epidemiological investigations, or those working in the frozen food sector; 6) those performing duties ensuring the basic operation of civil society, such as those working in the public utility sector, those working in the transport sector, or those working at the city’s fresh food wholesale market; 7) those who are planning to visit COVID-19 high-risk areas; and 8) other individuals regarded by the health authorities as being potentially subject to a higher risk to the novel coronavirus, or more likely to suffer a serious condition after infection.
Except immunocompromised individuals, all other eligible vaccinees receive a third COVID-19 vaccine dose as their booster jabs. People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised are first given a third primary dose at least 28 days after having their second COVID-19 jab, before receiving a fourth dose as their booster shots at least six months afterwards.
Moderately or severely immunocompromised individuals are covered by the booster jab programme as long as they are aged 12 or over, which is different to all other eligible vaccinees whose minimum age is 18 for the administration of a booster shot.
According to an announcement by the centre early this month, four groups of people are not covered by Macau’s COVID-19 booster jab programme, namely 1) all those aged below 12; 2) all those aged between 12 and 17 who are not moderately or severely immunocompromised; 3) those aged between 18 and 59 who have received two BioNTech jabs but are not subject to a higher COVID-19 risk; and 4) those who have been fully inoculated against COVID-19 with an adenovirus vector vaccine.
One-day leave for public servants for 3rd jab
Meanwhile, the Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau (SAFP) announced in a statement yesterday that public servants who have received their third COVID-19 jab can apply for one-day leave.
The statement underlined that all public servants have the responsibility to comply with the government’s COVID-19 prevention work by getting fully (twice) vaccinated against COVID-19 so as to protect the health of themselves, their family members and members of the public.
The statement noted that the first two shots of a COVID-19 vaccine can provide a basic level of protection and prevention from the novel coronavirus, and a third dose is able to boost the prevention ability, because of which, the statement said, for public interest, incentive measures should be rolled out for public servants to receive a third shot.
According to the statement, public servants who have received their third COVID-19 dose can apply for “excused absence from work” for one day, either on the day of receiving the jab or the next day.
Macau’s number of public servants stood at 32,000 at the end of last year, according to the latest available official data.
A nurse administers a COVID-19 vaccine booster jab to a woman at the Macau Forum inoculation facility on Tuesday last week, the first day of the government’s booster shot programme. Photo courtesy of TDM
