Covid-19 vaccine dose gap cut to 4 weeks

The time gap for the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine has been reduced to four weeks, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Health.

Earlier, the duration between the two doses of the vaccine was fixed at six weeks. The new decision will come into effect from September 15.

"The ministry would like to announce the reduction of the time interval between the two doses of Covid-19 vaccines from six weeks to four weeks, starting from Wednesday, September 15, 2021," the statement posted on the ministry’s Twitter handle said on Tuesday.

Accordingly, those who received the first dose and have completed four weeks can book an appointment for the second dose in the Tarassud+ app before heading to the immunisation centres in the governorate, the statement added.

Oman, in the recent months, has intensified its campaign to vaccinate more and more members of the public to stop the spread of the pandemic in the country.

Meanwhile, one death from Covid-19 was reported on Tuesday, after zero death day on Monday. Sixty new cases were reported on Tuesday. The toll in the pandemic now stands at 4,090 deaths.

According to the statistics released by the ministry, five patients were admitted to different hospitals during the last 24 hours. There are 28 cases in the intensive care units.

BOOSTER DOSES

Covid-19 vaccine booster shots will be made widely available to Americans this month, while several other countries including Britain, Germany and France, have decided to offer boosters to older adults and people with weak immune systems.

There is no consensus yet among scientists and agencies that a third dose is necessary.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on August 18 that current data does not indicate a need for booster shots, and has repeatedly called for a delay, arguing that the most vulnerable people worldwide should be fully vaccinated before high-income countries deploy a top-up.

British officials on Tuesday recommended that all vulnerable people, frontline health staff and those aged over 50 be offered a booster shot.

The African Union's top health official said on September 9. that rich nations would do better to send Covid-19 vaccines to Africa rather than hoarding them for domestic third-dose booster shots that scientific evidence does not back. (With Agency inputs)