The Health Bureau (SSM) has announced that it will provide BioNTech mRNA jabs targeting the Omicron XBB subvariants from Wednesday.
The bureau now recommends everyone reaching the minimum age for receiving BioNTech jabs, i.e., six months, to receive a dose of the new vaccine against XBB regardless of whether they have previously been inoculated against COVID-19.
An SSM statement on Saturday pointed out that the Omicron XBB subvariants are the ones currently prevalent worldwide, adding that high-risk individuals are more likely to suffer from a serious condition after being infected with COVID-19.
With the aim of better protecting the health of residents, the statement said, the Health Bureau has purchased the new BioNTech jabs targeting XBB for those aged 12 or over, which were delivered to Macau on Saturday.
The statement said that after the Health Bureau completes its procedures for receiving the jabs, it will start the vaccinations in two phases.
According to the statement, the new BioNTech mRNA vaccine is a monovalent vaccine (aka univalent) that only contains components for the XBB subvariants, i.e., no longer containing components for the original COVID-19 strain.
The Health Bureau is still purchasing BioNTech mRNA jabs targeting XBB for those aged below 12, according to the statement.
2 phases
The statement said that the administration of the new jabs will start on Wednesday for high-risk individuals aged 12 or over first, namely all those aged 60 or over, those aged between 12 and 59 with chronic diseases or weakened immune systems, pregnant women, and frontline health workers.
According to the statement, the second-phase vaccinations will start early next month, when all others aged 12 or over can receive a dose of the new vaccine against XBB.
The statement said that the Health Bureau will later announce details about making appointments to receive the new vaccine.
The statement underlined that the Health Bureau is “following up” its work on purchasing BioNTech mRNA monovalent jabs targeting XBB for children aged below 12.
According to the statement, the Health Bureau now recommends everyone reaching the minimum COVID-19 inoculation age, namely six months, to receive a BioNTech mRNA monovalent XBB jab, regardless of whether they have previously been vaccinated against COVID-19.
According to the bureau’s new recommendations, the statement said, those who have not been fully (twice) vaccinated against COVID-19, i.e., their first two jabs providing basic full immunity, will now only need to receive one BioNTech monovalent XBB jab, in which case, the statement said, they are medically regarded as having developed sufficient protection against COVID-19. This means that they will not need to receive any extra jabs, the statement underlined.
In addition, the statement also said that those who had recently been infected with or vaccinated against COVID-19 are now recommended to have a dose of the new vaccine against XBB three months afterwards.
Concerning moderately or severely immunocompromised individuals, who require three jabs, instead of two, to develop basic full immunity, the statement said that if they have not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by receiving three jabs, they are now recommended to receive an extra BioNTech mRNA monovalent XBB jab three months after having their first BioNTech monovalent XBB jab.
Currently, COVID-19 vaccinations are available at the city’s health centres or stations. COVID-19 inoculations are no longer available at the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre.
