Very few have taken the third dose

Santo Domingo, DR
As the date for making the third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine mandatory as the main immunization schedule for entering public and mass places approaches, the vast majority of the adult population is still out of compliance with this requirement.

As of yesterday, 1,618,069 Dominicans had this third dose applied, even though according to resolution 000069 of last December 28 of the Ministry of Public Health, as of January 31, the COVID-19 vaccination card will be required with the new third dose scheme for those over 18 years of age, as a preventive measure as a result of the latest variant of the omicron that affects a large part of the Dominican population.

It is estimated that 7.5 million people over 18 years of age must comply with this requirement which seeks to reinforce protection against Covid-19 and, above all, against the complications triggered by the disease caused by the virus infection.

Yesterday’s update of the National Vaccination Plan established that as of January 16, the population vaccinated with the booster or third dose was 1,618,069 people over 18 years of age.

With two doses of vaccine against the Covid-19 virus, the country registers 5,742,774 million people and with the first dose 6,967,468 adult Dominicans.

The country has administered 14,339,630 doses of a basket of different types of vaccines it has acquired. The national vaccination against Covid-19 began to be applied in Dominican territory on February 16, 2021.

It is currently being applied to all persons over 12 years of age and is starting to cover children from six years of age onwards.

Fourth dose
In the beginning, the complete vaccination schedule of the National Vaccination Plan was two doses; as of the 31st of this month, it will be three doses, while the fourth dose is optional for risk groups.

Resolution 000069, issued last December, which modifies Resolution #000048, which established two doses of vaccine as mandatory, also confirms that Public Health will enable an optional fourth booster dose.

ISRAELI STUDY
Fourth dose
Getting a fourth coronavirus vaccine gives only limited protection against the omicron variant, determined a preliminary study done by an Israeli hospital.

Last week, Sheba Hospital began giving the fourth vaccine to 274 employees: 154 received the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine and 120 the Moderna vaccine. All had previously received three injections of Pfizer-BioNtech. According to the trial, both groups showed a “slightly greater” increase in antibodies than that provided by the third vaccine.